If Not For You
by sasusaku-EienAi
Summary: What if Sasuke wasn't the only one to lose his clan, what if there was another kekkei genkai besides the Uchiha's Sharingan and the Hyuuga's Byakugan. You'll have to read to find out...rated M just to be safe. Sasusaku
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so this is my first story.**

**So I made up my own history for this to work and hopefully you will like it,**

**So enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the Haruno kekkei genkai, story plot, and some characters...pretty sad I know but hey Naruto won't let me take him or the other's home with me.**

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**If Not For You**

**Chapter 1 **

Almost a millennium ago before the first great shinobi war and the start of Konohagakure three brother's roamed the lands.

The oldest was Fuguwa Igiwata, his hair was as black as the night sky and eyes as black as coal until his power was released. Fuguwa had the affinity of the fire element, and he was able to change the colour of his eyes from charcoal to red with three swirling comas in an instant. This eye technique was known as the Sharingan and he was the only one in the world to have it, it allowed Fuguwa to vastly improve his perception to the point of allowing him to copy another's movements and even jutsus. Another ability the sharingan had was to induce hypnosis, more or less catching the target in a genjutsu that felt and looked real to the captured person.

The second eldest was Hideki Igiwata, his hair was a chocolate brown and his eyes were the colour of opals with no pupils. Hideki's affinity was air allowing him to attack his opponent without touching them, along with his air affinity Hideki had an eye technique like his older brother's but when in use veins were visible around his eyes and an almost unnoticed pupil was seen in the middle. This technique allowed Hideki to see the chakra network of his opponent and allow him to see almost 360 degrees around him and through objects such as walls, lessening the chance of his opponent sneaking up on him. This eye technique was called the Byakugan.

The youngest of the brother's was called Noboru Igiwata, despite being the youngest of the three Noboru was the strongest with an affinity for two elements, one being water and the other being lightning. Noboru had the palest of blue eyes and hair the same colour, along with his elements Noboru also had an eye technique that had similarities to the byakugan and sharingan. He was able to read an opponent's jutsu before it was released just like the sharingan, and able to see all around him like the byakugan. But was not able to copy all of the jutsu's only ninjutsu and he could only see the chakra network in a ninja like the Byakugan but was unable to see through objects. This technique was called tomokugan, it also allowed Noboru to control all of the five elements when his eyes changed from their pale blue to a deep red with electric blue streaks forming in the middle and moving out in five jaggered lines to the outer eye, making it look like an electric storm in his eyes.

Although Noboru was the strongest with his ability he was actually the weakest of the three, as he only used the tomokugan when it was really needed. Unlike his two older brothers' who used their abilities to show their power to any and every person around them.

Eventually when the three brothers came into their full powers and returned to their birth place of birth in the Fang country, they began fighting amongst themselves for power and the approval of their father who favoured Noboru. Fuguwa and Hideki became so obesest with wanting power and their father's approval they made up a plan to get rid of Noboru.

The plan worked to a degree, Noboru found out about their plan and disappeared before they could kill him. He was unable to retaliate as they were still his brother's no matter what they did. After he escaped Noboru Igiwata became Noboru Haruno and neither Fuguwa nor Hideki saw or heard of their brother again.

A few years after Noboru's disappearance their father died from a missing piece of his heart taken the day his Noboru left, leaving Fuguwa and Hideki alone and without what they wanted from their father. Both men were furious and blamed each other for their father, they fought each other to the brink of death before going their separate ways. Fuguwa becoming Fuguwa Uchiha the first of the most powerful clans in the fire country, and Hideki becoming Hideki Hyuuga of another very powerful clan in the fire country.

It wasn't until Senju Hashirama and Madara Uchiha founded Konohagakure village hidden in the leaves that the three clan's came to live together in relative peace. Each not knowing the link to each clan, and each staying away from the other in their compounds at three different ends of the village.

That is until Madara Uchiha found out about the Haruno clan and their kekkei genkai that no others knew about for it wasn't used (Of course the Haruno clan knew about it) and he felt intimidated about it and made to attack the clan and wipe them out. The leader of the Haruno clan Saburo was able to stop him with the tomokugan but was unable to kill him, and Madara got away.

After that fight Saburo's tomokugan was recorded and most of the village stayed away from the clan in fear, as his kekkei genkai was stronger than the sharingan which was one of the most powerful kekkei genkai's and for the fact that no one knew who had the kekkei genkai as the Haruno's kept their affairs private. The only time it would be revealed that another person had this powerful bloodline was when they were in great danger, or to protect someone close to them as they were a peaceful clan who prided themselves on the love, care, and protection that was shown throughout their clan.

Later Madara challenged Senju Hashirama the first Hokage of Konoha in hopes of taking control but was stopped for a second time, after having his own clan turned against him in favour of peace. This time everyone thought Madara was killed but his body was never found.

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**64 years later**

"Sakura honey, don't forget we have to go to your uncle's for your grandfather's birthday after academy today" A woman with long red hair and deep green eyes said to her six year old daughter as she came into the kitchen to make breakfast for her family. "I know mummy" Sakura responded as she sat down at the table.

Sakura Haruno was the only child of Shiro and Aki Haruno, she had bright emerald green eyes that she got from her father, and pink hair a combination of her mother's red hair and her father's pale blue hair. Sakura was a very unique girl, she was the smartest kunoichi in her generation and her chakra control was floorless at the tender age of three. She was able to control the water element by the time she was five, but she wasn't the best fighter. She knew the basic taijutsu and hadn't come into her kekkei genkai as of yet.

As Aki placed a plate in front of her daughter, the front door opened and a man with long pale blue hair that was in a low ponytail reaching his mid back walked in. Sakura spotted him and jumped up off her chair running to him with a big smile.

"DADDY!"

Shiro had just enough time to catch his airborne daughter as she jumped into his arms almost knocking him down. Shiro chuckled at his overly excited daughter "I missed you too baby girl" Shiro had called Sakura baby girl ever since she was born, it was his special name for his only child he loved just as much as his wife if not more.

Aki smiled as her husband and daughter hugged before walking over to Shiro "Welcome home my love" she said as she hugged him. Shiro hugged her back not letting go of either of his girls for he had just got back from a month long ANBU mission. "It's good to be back...god I missed you two" he said before kissing his wife on the lips then his daughter's forehead.

After another bout of hugs kisses and giggles, the family moved to the kitchen and sat down to breakfast. Sakura asked if her father could walk with her and her mother to the academy after breakfast. So after they ate, the family made their way to the academy. As they reached the school Shiro spotted his teammate dropping off his little brother, sure the guy was young but he was a prodigy and soon he would be an ANBU captain himself 'You are doing a great job Itachi just talk more and you'll go far' Shiro chuckled to himself as he thought back to their mission and the quiet time with Konoha's youngest ANBU at age 12.

The two looked like copies with black hair only Itachi's little bother had tints of blue through it and his spiked out at the back. Whereas Itachi's was longer and in a low pony-tail. Both boys had eyes as black as coal (A trait of the Uchiha clan) if you looked closely at their faces you could tell the difference between them. Itachi had a more hardened face and lines under his eyes making it look like he was constantly tired.

Whereas his little brother had a softer rounder face as he was still a child, but as he grew he would have strong features just like his big brother.

"Hello Itachi" Shiro greeted as they came together, Itachi inclined his head with a quiet hello back to his captain. The youngest members of the group hid behind the males of the group, both being too shy around others outside their clans. Shiro chuckled as his daughter clung to his leg and Itachi's little brother clung to his leg both peaking out every now and then catching each other's eyes before hiding again.

"So this is your little brother Itachi?" said male answered with a nod and a chuckle at his little brothers antics. "Yes he is, captain Shiro this is Sasuke" Itachi said pushing the boy in front of him.

Sasuke tried to go behind his brother again but found it a little difficult having his brother holding his shoulders. Shiro crouched down on one knee causing Sakura to hide behind her mother. He held his hand out to the shy boy "Hello Sasuke my name is Shiro Haruno and I'm on your big brother's team" he said with a warm smile, Sasuke looked at the offending hand then to the owner before looking to his brother as if to ask if it was safe. Itachi got the message and nodded his head, Sasuke looked back at the man with funny blue hair before hesitantly taking his hand and shaking it with a very quiet "Hi".

Shiro stood back up "This is my wife Aki and..." Shiro gently pulled Sakura from behind her mother "...my daughter Sakura...Aki, Sakura this is Itachi Uchiha my second in command" he introduced.

Aki stepped forward "It's very nice to finally meet you Itachi, Shiro often speaks of you" Itachi inclined his head before shooting Shiro a half-hearted glare, Shiro scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed chuckle.

Aki then crouched down to the six year old boy "It's very nice to meet you too Sasuke" she said with a bright smile and an extended hand, which Sasuke took with a smile 'she's just like mother I like her...i like them both so nice' he thought as the woman stood up again, then his eyes landed on the little girl with pink hair.

"Aren't you going to say hello to our new friend's baby girl?" Shiro asked, the pinkette shook her head earning a chuckle from both Itachi and her father. Shiro knelt down next to her and she turned and hide her head in his chest "Come on baby girl, you don't want to hurt Sasuke and Itachi's feelings do you?" she shook her head "Then you should greet them, then you'll have two new friends...they won't bite" Shiro added with a chuckle at the look on his daughter's face.

Sakura slowly turned around to face the two dark haired boys with a bright blush on her cheeks "H..hi" she said timidly as she clung to her father. It was Itachi's turn to step forward "It's very nice to meet you Sakura" He said ruffling her hair chuckling when she shot him a glare 'Just like Sasuke'.

Sasuke clasped Itachi's pant leg and tugged on it getting his attention, Itachi bent down to Sasuke's level and Sasuke whispered something in his ear. Itachi looked at him for a moment before chuckling "Yes she is very pretty Sasuke" he said looking at Sakura, who had wide eyes and a blush that could rival that of her hair colour.

"Itachiii" Sasuke whined "You weren't s'posed to say anything" the three older people laughed at the embarrassed boy.

All the academy students started to make their way into the school after Iruka opened the doors, Itachi bid a goodbye to his brother along with the Haruno's before heading off. Sasuke was making his way into the school as Sakura and her parents bid a goodbye to each other. "Sakura honey your dad will be here to pick you up after class finishes ok" Aki said, Sakura nodded before hugging her mother.

Sasuke watched as this happened, his chest tightening when the blue haired man hugged and kissed the pretty little girl 'I wish father would hug me like that' he turned and walked faster into the school.

"I'll see you after school baby girl" Shiro hugged and kissed Sakura before they parted and Sakura made her way into the school, her parents heading to the hospital for Shiro's after mission check up arm in arm.

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It was lunch time at the academy and Sasuke was looking for the girl he had met this morning, but was unable to find her as yet. He had walked around the school for ten minutes, even asking Iruka sensei if he had seen a girl with pink hair but he hadn't. He walked past the blonde haired kid that always was alone and ignored by all except for Iruka sensei, intending to do the same Sasuke put his head down and his pace quickened.

"Hey!" the kid called, Sasuke ignored him and kept walking. He could hear footsteps behind him 'Great he's following me...just ignore him like father said to' "Hey wait up" he called again. Sasuke was about to make a run for it when a hand grabbed his shoulder, Sasuke turned and glared at him "What!" he growled. The blonde retracted his hand and took a step back "I...I j..just wanted to tell you where the girl you're looking for is"

Sasuke gave a half smile at the news as the blonde continued "I seen her walking down to the meadow 15 minutes ago" Sasuke nodded his head and made to go to the meadow, but stopped and looked at the retreating blonde "Hey" the boy turned to look at him "Thanks" Sasuke said, the blonde gave him a bright smile and a thumbs up "No problem" he said before he ran off away from Sasuke.

Sasuke was nearing the meadow when he heard someone crying and voices, as he got closer he was able to make out the voices to be girls.

"Hey billboard brow...you have a big forehead" a girl with long black hair known as Hoshi said who was standing next to a tree.

Sasuke wasn't able to see who the girl was talking to as they were behind the tree, Sasuke moved closer to see who was crying.

What he saw made his blood boil, for there sitting at the base of the tree and surrounded by Hoshi the most popular girl in school and two brunettes known as Aya and Kanon (Hoshi's brainless followers) was the pink haired girl he had been looking for. She was in tears with the three girls standing over her.

"You are so ugly with that big forehead and pink hair...who would want to be friends with a freak like you" Aya stated with a laugh. "Good one Aya I don't even think anyone could even love this thing" Hoshi added as she poked Sakura, all three laughed as the pinkette stood up "That's a lie...m...my mummy and daddy love me" Sakura said losing her courage half way through her rebuttal. All three girls laughed at her before Hoshi stepped forward and violently pushed Sakura to the ground.

"Yeah right, not even they could love you" she said. Sakura was holding her arm and started crying again "Th...that's not tr...true" Sakura said as her voice cracked through her sobs.

Sasuke had enough of these girls picking on the pinkette, so when Hoshi was about to say something else he ran over to the group and stepped in front of Sakura pushing the three girls over at the same time. "Leave my friend alone" he growled at them.

They all looked at him in shock, three not believing the heart throb of the academy defending the freak, and the other not believing he called her his friend.

"Sa...Sasuke" Hoshi squeaked as she stood up, Aya and Kanon standing behind her blushing and giggling at the sight of him. Sasuke sweat-dropped 'Geeze they get over things quick' He glared at them "Get out of here and don't come near any of my friends again or you'll deal with me" He said as threatening as he could, and it worked...somewhat because they all squealed and smiled before running off laughing. For the second time in two minutes Sasuke sweat-dropped.

When Sasuke turned to Sakura his heart clenched, she had her head down with her hair covering her face. Silent tears ran down her face with a sniffle every now and then, her right hand rested over her left elbow.

Sasuke bent down to her level, not saying a word he reached for her arm and moved her hand to see a scratch that was bleeding. Sakura gasped at the contact, not used to the tenderness of anyone other than her family. She looked up at him and saw a smile on his face "Hey come on let's go get this fixed, then you'll feel better...kay"

Sasuke stood back up and offered his hand to his new friend, Sakura hesitantly took it and they began walking back.

It was a few minutes before either spoke, when Sasuke broke the silence "So your names Sakura right?...just like the tree's" Sakura nodded her head in answer, 'she isn't much of a talker' he observed her a little longer before Sakura gained enough courage to speak "W..why did you help me?" Sasuke looked at her as if she was mad "I helped you because I don't like people picking on my friends" he said as he stopped walking. Sakura looked at him with utter shock "Y..you really m..meant that?" Sasuke nodded his head with a big smile, Sakura looked at him for a moment working out whether he was lying or not, when he looked sincere she smiled back at him and they continued on their path to the nurse.

After their first moments together Sasuke and Sakura weren't seen without the other for the rest of the day, giggling and playing and talking up a storm with each other until class was over. The pair walked out of the academy together, Sakura spotting her father straight away and ran over to him dragging Sasuke with her.

"DADDY!...daddy I made a friend" she said as she hugged him still holding Sasuke's hand, who was blushing. "I can see that...hello Sasuke" Shiro detangled himself and Sasuke from his daughter and ruffled the boy's hair. "Hello Sakura's daddy" Sasuke said shyly, Shiro chuckled "Just call me Shiro" Sasuke nodded.

The two Haruno's were about to head to the Haruno compound, when Shiro noticed no one was there to pick up Sasuke. "Sasuke would you like us to walk you home?" Shiro asked knowing that the boy's father never came to pick his children up and that Itachi had a small mission from the Hokage so he wouldn't be there for him.

Sasuke shook his head "I don't want to be trouble...I can walk home by myself, but thank you" he politely declined. But Sakura wouldn't have her first friend walking home alone so she reached out and grabbed his hand and started walking for the Uchiha compound...or the direction she thought it was in (She was walking in the opposite direction) "Well I guess you changed your mind then" Shiro chuckled after turning Sakura in the right direction.

When they got to the compound Sasuke opened the gate just as someone else was coming out, causing him to bump into them. Lucky it was Itachi and not another family member "Itachi your home" Sasuke sounded just as excited as Sakura was when she greeted her father, only he didn't hug him.

Itachi greeted Sasuke before looking to the other's "I was just on my way to collect him...thank you captain for bringing him home" Shiro nodded "That's okay if I hadn't Sakura would have been upset with me" said girl was half hiding behind her father. Itachi chuckled and bent down to Sakura's level "Well thank you Sakura for bringing my little brother home" Sakura blushed and gave him a shy smile.

"Well come on baby girl, we better get to grandpa Saburo's birthday party" Shiro said, Sakura looked at her father with sad eyes before running over to Sasuke and hugging him "See you tomorrow" she said before going back to her father and holding his hand. Sasuke was blushing madly but managed a "Yeah see ya" and a wave as the pair walked away.

Itachi was watching his little brother interact with the girl 'he seems happy now he has someone other than me to pay him attention' was the thought going through his head as they walked into the compound.

What neither noticed was their father watching the whole interaction between the Haruno girl and his youngest son, and he did not like what he had seen.

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When Sakura and her father reached her uncle's house her mother was waiting outside with her sister and four month old niece in her arms. After giving her aunt and cousin a hug and hello Sakura hugged Aki, gaining a kiss from the woman "Hi honey how was school?" Sakura beamed at the thought of her day at school. Shiro came up and wrapped his arms around his wife trapping their daughter between them "Our baby made a new friend" "Daddy, I wanted to tell mummy" Sakura whined as she tried to push the pair apart. By this time Aki's sister had been given her daughter back and gone inside to rejoin the party leaving the family of three alone.

"Well daddy didn't tell me their name" Aki said with a giggle at her daughter's pout before a bright smile replaced it. Sakura bobbed up and down in her parents arms "Oh, oh his names Sasuke...that boy we met before class" Sakura's parent's smiled at her, happy that she was happy.

After calming Sakura down Aki spoke in a calming voice to her daughter as she and Shiro had some news for Sakura and she didn't know how the child would take it "Honey daddy and I have some new for you" Shiro placed his arms around Aki in a reassuring way "Baby girl" Shiro said with great affection "Mummy and daddy are going to have another baby, and you're going to be a big sister"

There was a moment of silence before Sakura registered what her father had just said before she exploded with excitement "Really, I'm going to be a big sister...just like Sasuke's big brother...I can't wait to tell Sasuke...can I go tell Sasuke now...I want a little sister so I can play with her and teach her how to be a ninja...when can we pick her up?" At that both adults released the breath they were holding only to start laughing at Sakura's excitement and babbling.

"Honey we have to wait for the baby to grow inside mummy's tummy and we won't know if you're going to have a baby brother or sister for a while, and you can't tell Sasuke now because it is getting late" Aki said "But you can tell him tomorrow morning, we'll go by his home so you can walk with him to class okay" Shiro added at the deflated look on Sakura's face.

Sakura smiled again, before a frown appeared "Daddy will I still be your baby girl when the new baby is here?" Shiro gave her a smile that could melt anything before taking her from her mother's arms "Sakura you will always be my baby girl no matter how many children I have because you are my baby girl and nothing will change that" He explained Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck.

Aki hugged the two "Honey never forget that we love you more than anything in the world and when you're brother or sister comes it will just mean that we will have more love than before because of two children to love instead of our one special girl" Sakura gave her parents a beautiful smile that showed she understood.

The family then made their way into the house and joined the celebration, as a dark figure lurked outside the house filled with a loving peaceful clan. "Soon, soon I will have my revenge" the figure cackled before disappearing.

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**The next day**

Sasuke had walked to class alone as Itachi was called away early in the morning and Sakura and her father hadn't come past yet which he had hoped they would so he could walk with them. When he got to the academy most of the students were heading into class so he followed keeping an eye out of a head of pink. Once in class he looked around the room but couldn't find Sakura anywhere 'I wonder where she is, maybe she's sick' he thought as Iruka sensei came in with a sombre mood clouding him.

"Class we will not be learning anything today as the Hokage has called for an important announcement to the whole village, so everyone up and follow me please"

The whole class got up and began following Iruka out into the village to the front of the Hokage tower where everyone was waiting for the Hokage to appear, 'I wonder what's happening' Sasuke thought as he followed. It was another five minutes before the Hokage appeared and right off the bat Sasuke noticed something missing from the assembly. There were no Haruno's, there was the Hyuuga's off on one side and his own family next to him. 'Where' Sakura and her parents?'

"I'm very sorry to call you all away from your previous activities" the Hokage Sarutobi said "But I have some grave news that will undoubtedly affect the whole village" he continued "In the early hours of this morning our village was infiltrated" there were gasps heard from all around the area "The invader who was helped by one of Konoha's own ninja committed a heinous crime before he and the ninja were found they managed to get away" Some of the villagers were outraged that one of their own could do this.

"I am regretful to say that we have lost a vast quantity of our best jounin and ANBU with the slaughter of an entire peaceful clan...the..." Sasuke didn't need to hear any more as he already knew which clan the Hokage was talking about "N...no Sakura" he turned to run to the Haruno compound but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. His head shot up to the person holding him back, glaring at Itachi "Let me go I have to find her!" he shouted gaining the attention of most of the village.

Sasuke struggled to break away from his brother who looked at him with sad eyes, as tears rolled down Sasuke's face. Sasuke was so distraught that he didn't even hear the Hokage as he continued to explain the attack and dismiss the village. Sarutobi came over the the silent boy and his brother who still had a hand on his shoulder. "What seems to be the problem Itachi?" Sarutobi asked, Itachi turned to him not letting go of Sasuke.

"I'm sorry for the interruption lord Hokage but my little brother is upset about the news of his friend's family" Itachi explained as Sasuke stopped struggling and stood still shedding tears. It was a silent moment before Sasuke spoke looking to his brother "Pl..please...tell me it's not true...Itachi...please" he whispered, his eyes also pleading for Itachi to tell him they had it all wrong and that his only friend and her family wasn't dead.

Itachi didn't say anything as Sarutobi spoke for him "I'm very sorry my child but it is true" Sasuke looked to him with wide tear-filled eyes "But there was one survivor" Sarutobi said quickly not wanting the boy to have that look of total heart-break anymore, Sasuke felt hope well up inside at those words.

He didn't want to, but the question had to be asked.

"W...who?"

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**I Had to leave it there, not bad...at the first chapter and already I'm leaving you hanging lol, anyway I had to stop it there for the next chapter which I will try to put up as soon as I finish touching it up.**

**If you have any questions or are confused about something, please don't hesitate to ask and I will try my best to answer it for you.**

**All reviews are welcome but please be nice, and thank you for taking the time to read.**


	2. Chapter 2

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**Okay guys a HUGE thank you to everyone who faved my story and put it on alert you all made my day lol**

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**And a even bugger thank you to cowgirl137, caga2007, christiansrose, **

**and a special thank you to my friend Tenchi. **

**I couldn't wait to update just for you guys. I hope I don't disappoint you guys.**

**Disclaimer: I woke up and sitll I do not own Naruto.**

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**Chapter 2**

**The night before**

"Mummy I'm tired" Sakura said as she rubbed her eyes, they had been at her uncle's for a few hours and Sakura wanted to go to sleep. "Alright honey go give grandpa Saburo a hug and kiss and we'll go home" Sakura nodded her head and tiredly went over to the aging patriarch of the clan who looked bored out of his head with the males of the clan talking about politics.

Saburo was an easy going man who liked getting out and mucking around even though he was now 90, politics wasn't his forte but he was political when it was needed. For this he was Sakura's favourite relative, and because Sakura was a sweet well mannered child she was Saburo's favourite grandchild. They shared a strong bond, and spent a lot of time together. Saburo was the only one besides her favourite cousin who were teaching her how to do ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu even though she hadn't awakened her blood-line.

"Ah my little cherry blossom" Saburo greeted as the girl dragged her feet over to him, he picked her up and placed her on his knee. Sakura smothered a yawn and rubbed her eyes before she spoke "Mummy and daddy are taking me home now" she yawned again. "But you hardly spent any time with me tonight" Saburo said as he began to tickle Sakura who was now in a fit of giggles. "Gr...grandpa" she was able to get out through the giggles "S..stop".

Luckily for Sakura Shiro came to her rescue "Don't tickle her too much father, or we'll never get her to stop laughing...again" Saburo stopped and looked at his youngest son who was the only child with his eyes and hair, granted Saburo's was grey and dull from age. "okay, okay you win...but why don't you put Sakura to bed in my room and stay the night so we can have breakfast together in the morning" Sakura jumped off her grandfather's lap fully awake and dove into her father's arms "Please daddy I really want to stay here for the night" she pleaded with her big beautiful green eyes that no one could say no too.

Shiro looked to his father who had the same eyes as his daughter 'So that's where she gets it from' he sighed "You know it's not fair when you do the eye thing father, it's bad enough you have my baby girl doing it but then you go and do it too" Saburo laughed "I know someone else who has my eyes as well and did the eye thing when he was young...and you still do it"

"Yeah, yeah. But we aren't that far away you know...we do live only three doors down" Shiro said with a roll of his eyes. The look on Saburo and Sakura's faces made his heart ache 'I wish they wouldn't pout like that' "But that's not the point...you know I am 90 now and anything could happen to me and you'll never get to see me again" Saburo knew how to lay the guilt trip on his children "but where would we all sleep, four of us can't sleep in your bed and Asuka and Shou only have their bed" Shiro said.

Saburo winked at his son "You, Aki and cherry here can have my bed and I will make my own" Shiro shook his head "No Shou doesn't like you using your wood jutsu's after what happened last time and he'd kill me if I let you" Saburo chuckled again "What your brother doesn't know won't hurt him and I've been using it for the last three years and he hasn't found out yet. So no more discussions, the matters settled" Saburo gave the famous Haruno smile as he took Sakura from Shiro's arms and walked towards the house.

Shiro had a look of horror on his face at the thought of his father using his wood style, considering the last time anyone knew he was using it, it got out of hand and everyone in the compound had been stuck in the walls of an extension to his brother's house for two hours before the women that where shopping came back and got them out. 'If it wasn't for Hashirama for showing him how to do that' a chill went through his body at the memory.

A few hours later everyone retired to their beds, eventually after many people ganging up on him, Shou allowed Saburo and a few of the other males to add an extension to his house-thanking Kami that there were no backfires-and everyone stayed there as a birthday wish to Saburo.

It was about three in the morning when Saburo awoke to noises and a chakra that felt very familiar but he couldn't remember who it was, but he knew it wasn't good.

He made his way over to Shiro and shook him gently as to not wake the pinkette in his arms. Shiro woke up and Saburo shushed him before moving to Aki and waking her. After tucking Sakura in the three adults made their way into the next room where other adults were awake after sensing the chakra as well.

"Who is it?" one of the women asked as they stepped outside away from the sleeping children, just in case whoever it was had ill intent. No one had an answer to her question as no one could recognise it and the strength of the chakra was too great to even tell where the person was.

The atmosphere was tense as the chakra came closer, everyone was in a fighting stance as a chuckle was heard on the breeze.

"Ah, Saburo Haruno how nice it is to see you...and with your clan" a sinister voice said. Everyone was looking for the owner of the voice but couldn't see anyone.

"But where are the children?"

* * *

Sakura awoke to an empty bed 'Where's mummy and daddy?' she thought as she rubbed her eyes sitting up in bed.

"Mummy daddy?"

She was answered by silence. Getting out of the bed, she made her way to the door. Just as she reached the knob the atmosphere became cold and a sense of danger filled the room. Sakura backed away from the door, something in the back of her mind telling her to run and hide.

She found a small door in her grandfather's closet, sort of like a hidden room. As soon as the door to the secret room closed Sakura heard the bedroom door open and she felt a dangerous yet familiar chakra came into the room. The only problem was she was too scared to concentrate on who the chakra belonged to, and something told her not to go and find out who it was.

The chakra signature moved about the room for a few minutes, as if they were searching for something. They stopped at the bed and was there for a moment before moving again. When the person stopped at the closet Sakura help her breath but her heart was pounding so loud that she knew they would be able to hear it, but the person began walking away.

As soon as the person left the room Sakura let the breath out she was holding, she started to violently shake silently crying for her mother and father to come find her.

The presence was moving towards the lounge room where all of her cousins were sleeping when Sakura felt a very powerful chakra outside, along with the flaring of all the clan adult's including her parents and grandfather. "Mummy...daddy" Sakura whispered as tears streaked down her face. She would have been a fool to say she wasn't scared, but in actual fact she was petrified.

"AHHHHH!"

The scream came from the lounge where the other kids were, Sakura froze 'What's going on' As soon as the scream sounded more were heard and Sakura's cousins chakra's along with some of the adult's outside began to flicker out. Sakura put her hands to her ears trying to shut the sounds of the screams out, as she curled up into a ball 'Mummy...daddy please help me' she said over and over in her head as the screams and dying chakra's became scarce.

Sakura sat up as the menacing chakra left the house, there was not a single sound coming from the other room where her cousins were supposed to be sleeping and safe from danger, but she knew what had just transpired. More tears streamed down her face 'It's all my fault I should have fought them and saved the other's'.

**'Don't be such a pathetic cry baby who's feeling sorry for herself, there was nothing you could do!'** A voice in the back of her head almost shouted.

'W...who are you?' Sakura asked

**'I'm what you could be if you ignored that weakness called fear...I'm the kunoichi you could become to save them' **the voice said.

'I...I...you...what?' Sakura didn't know what to say, she had never heard this voice before. Why was it speaking to her now?

**'I can help you save your parents...just let me help you' **her inner voice almost pleaded.

'I...I don't know' Sakura didn't know what to do, she knew the voice was right she was a pathetic cry baby. But she also knew she wasn't yet strong enough to do this on her own but the need to help her mother and father were greater than her common sense and self preservation 'O..ok what do I have to do?'

**'Let the fear go first...I will guide you through this child' **inner said in a soothing tone.

Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath and calmed herself as best she could. The voice in her head was encouraging her to go out and help her loved ones, she felt the fear leave her and she felt brave enough to get up and exit the closet.

She made her way to the door and put her hand on the knob for a second time, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before opening the door and exiting the room.

The only noise that was heard was weapons outside stating the adults were fighting two different chakra's, one being the person that was in the house not fifteen minutes ago and the other the same one from outside. Sakura let her fear creep up on her as an aunt's chakra blinked out leaving only her parents and grandfather to fight the enemy.

'Please be okay mummy, daddy and grandpa'

As soon as she entered the lounge Sakura wanted to turn around and run back to her hiding place. For what was in front of her was a blood soaked room, more importantly it was her clan's blood. The bodies of her cousins no matter the age were scattered over the floor where they were cut down.

Sakura took a step back 'I...I can't do this...I...I'm just a kid what can I do' she was beginning to panic.

**'Get a hold of yourself...you can do this...you have the power inside you, I will be with you to help you' **inner said.

Once again Sakura could feel her fear leaving her body, was it the voice in her head's doing? She didn't know but she was glade it was there, she began moving again tears escaping her eyes the whole time. As she moved across the room her eyes never left the door, for fear of seeing her kin staring at her with empty blank eyes.

Finally making it to the door she pulled it open just in time to see a sword being plunged through her father's stomach, but not killing him. Her mother was not there with him.

The other adults including her grandfather were now laying on the ground still and lifeless.

'No...no'

"NOOO!"

All able bodies turned to look at the girl, tears streaming down her face. Her vision blurry, she found it extremely hard to breathe and was unable to move 'Mummy, daddy, grandfather...n...no'

There was movement and a thud sounded in front of her, causing Sakura to look ahead to where her father was to find him now laying on his side with the katana still embedded in his chest.

A deep menacing chuckle brought Sakura's eyes to the two figures standing just ahead of her fallen father. It was the first time since she got there that she looked at the enemy.

There in front of her was a man who looked to be in his thirties with black spiky hair and red eyes that had three comas slowly swirling around the pupil. But the one next to the strange man had her full attention, it was Noki one of her older cousin's. To be exact the only other family member that was almost as close to her as her grandfather was, that spent a lot of time with her when he wasn't on missions with his team.

He had hair a shade darker than her father and his usual crystal blue eyes were now replaced with crimson red eyes and three electric blue lines swirling around, it was the Haruno clan kekkei genkai but not the full tomokugan. But in his arms was a sobbing Aki who had cut's everywhere, but didn't look too hurt thank Kami.

"Noki w...what's happening?" Sakura whispered her eyes falling back to her father then to her restrained mother, her body freezing up again. Noki stayed silent as he watched his younger cousin.

The dark haired man stepped forward towards Shiro and chuckled crouching down and whispered something in his ear.

"Y...you leave...h...her out...of this!" Shiro growled.

The man chuckled looking at Sakura "She will watch her parents die before her life is taken...so this whole retched clan can enter the next life damned" he whispered as he reached for the sword embedded in Shiro's chest. Sakura made a dash to protect her father, but was too late as the man ruthlessly pulled the katana out of Shiro's chest causing him to scream in pain.

The man jumped back as Sakura lunged at him "Foolish child you will soon join him"

Sakura felt a power grow from within her and her fear disappear as she glared at the man and the now stranger next to him who did nothing to stop the man from destroying their clan. The wind started to pick up around Sakura and her fallen father forming a bubble around him, but her mother was still with those monsters but now in the dark haired man's arms.

"Why...why Noki?" Sakura asked looking to the sixteen year old. Noki looked at her with emotionless dead eyes "They were holding me back" he simply stated, his voice as dead as he looked.

The power growing inside of her flared, she looked to her father who was barely alive, then to her mother who was staring at Sakura not taking her eyes off her precious daughter. She closed her eyes and spoke with such an angered growl that anyone would think she could kill with just her tone of voice.

"They were holding you back...so you just thought you would kill them!" she turned back towards her cousin and opened her eyes, Noki gasped and his eyes widened a fraction. Looking back at him was the fully formed eyes of the tomokugan. Sakura's vision became clearer and she could see every movement that was made, she could see the chakra running through the three men and woman that were still living. Granted one was weakening rapidly, this made her new power soar and the swirling bubble of wind was joined by lightning.

The power that Sakura was producing was felt throughout the village by most of the ninja save a few, causing a number of them to head towards the cause of the power.

"I will never forgive you Noki!" Sakura yelled, a burst of her protective bubble shooting out towards the pair who just escaped being hit by it. The dark haired man sensed the ninja heading their way, "Noki we must leave, we will come back soon" Noki looked towards the older man and nodded. He stepped closer to the man that held Sakura's struggling mother "Sakura RUN!" she screamed but Sakura paid no mind to her mother's frantic cries.

The dark haired man chuckled as he placed one hand over Aki's mouth and the other on her lower abdomen "We have one last thing to do before we are to depart" he said with malice intent.

Shiro managed to sit up a little "Pl...please let them live, I beg y...you" his plea was unheard.

"Child if you wish to save your mother...kill your father"

The area became deathly silent as the man brought a kunai up to Aki's throat, Sakura's eyes turned back to their emerald green as she watched frozen and unable to do anything 'H..he wants m...me to k..k..kill daddy' she looked to her father with tear filled eyes. Shiro looked at his daughter with calm green eyes "It's okay baby girl you can do it" Sakura shook her head and hugged him crying "I...I can't"

The dark haired man looked on in amusement as he held the woman that was violently struggling and trying to talk if not for the hand that was currently over her mouth, he of course had other plans with the woman and that wasn't letting her go or live for that matter...but the girl didn't need to know that. He also had other plans for the child who had the fully formed tomokugan unlike his pawn, she would be very valuable as she grew older and her kekkei genkai became stronger.

"As touching as this is...you need to decide my child...your mother or your father?" Sakura started crying more as she looked from her mother to her father, both adults looked to their daughter as if saying it was okay for her to choose the other. Which she couldn't, how could any child choose between two loving parents...it was impossible.

"I...I..." she couldn't get any words out as fear overtook her body, not even the voice inside her head could help her. The dark haired man chuckled "I'll make it easy for you" Sakura looked at him as he tightened his grip around her mother "I was hoping to see Saburo's grandchild kill his son before I left...having you watch him die slowly and take your mother for my own personal gain is enough pain for him to take to the next life is enough for me" he said darkly.

The fear vanished from Sakura as quickly as it came, she got up and with a blood curdling war cry she ran at them.

"I will kill you before you get a chance to leave!" she yelled chakra sparking and swirling around her again as she rapidly approached them only to be stopped by a wall of wind caused by Noki "Sakura you are too weak..." he said "Become stronger and then come for us so I can test my strength and power on someone who is worthy of my time" The older man chuckled looking at his student "Good idea my boy we shall see who is worthy to wield the tomokugan" he turned and looked at Sakura "We'll be keeping an eye on you...and thank you for your mother" and with that they disappeared, all that was left was the scream of her mother.

"No...NO! I will find you and kill you...NOKI!"

Sakura sat there fists pounding the ground until her hands bled "I will find you...Do you hear me!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she brought her hands down again slamming into the ground causing a slight crack. "Mummy come back...please" she whispered hoping she would be able to get away from the man and cousin that she promised to find and kill.

"Sa...Sakura"

Sakura whipped her head around to find her father looking at her with half lidded eyes, she rushed back over to him "Daddy" she whispered as she cradled his head in her lap. "Sa...Sakura...I'm s..sorry I'm n...not going t...to be there...for you" Shiro said weakly raising a shaky hand to his crying six year old daughter. His heart clenched at the thought of his daughter going through this at such a young age.

"Daddy pl...please, you're going to be okay...mummy" she couldn't finish what she was going to say.

"Mummy and I...w..will never leave y..you...we will a..always be in here" Shiro said placing his hand to her heart, knowing that Aki wouldn't be returning to their daughter. More tears spilled from her eyes as her father struggled to breath. She could feel the approaching ninja but they would get there too late to save anyone.

"I...love y...you baby...girl" Shiro said with his last breath as he closed his eyes for the last time, he could hear Sakura frantically calling for him to come back but he was being pulled towards a light and couldn't fight it. As the light pulled him closer, a figure stood at the end of the light. When he got closer he could make out the red hair of his wife, he came to stand in front of her and could see she cradled a small infant in her arms with bright blue hair and emerald green eyes. It was the son they never got a chance to have.

"DADDY!" Sakura screamed, but there was no response her father had left her alone. As the first of the ninja got closer the wind circled around the broken child and her father not letting anyone near them. One of the ninja who stood back not sure what to do with the sight before him bent over and threw up everything in his stomach. Other ninja made their way into the house in search of any other survivors but found none.

Everyone was silent watching the girl cry her heart out, waiting to be told what to do. The rest of the ninja came to the sight along with Itachi, who looked on in shock. A few minutes passed before he could move, he stepped forward making his way slowly towards the child he just met yesterday and his ANBU captain.

When he got a little to close the wind sent him flying back throwing him into the side of the house, Sakura looked up with dangerous eyes tomokugan swirling violently. There were many gasps as Sakura glared at each and every ninja there, whispers also accompanied the gasps.

"What is that?"

"I think it's the tomokugan"

"The what?"

"Tomokugan...it is the legendary kekkei genkai that defeated Madara Uchiha almost 70 years ago"

The ball of wind once again was joined by lightning, keeping everyone away as Sakura mourned her fallen clan members.

Half an hour had passed before the Hokage came to the sight as they figured how to get Sakura away from her father and to the hospital where she could be checked for injuries. Everything they tried to do didn't work, and they were about to resort to trying to inject her somehow with a sedative when the protective bubble started to dissipate before disappearing and Sakura collapsed from chakra depletion.

Medic ninja rushed to the pair one taking Sakura and disappearing in a puff of smoke, and the others checking the vitals of Shiro only to find they were too late in saving the man.

Sarutobi shook his head as the medic's and ninja lifted all of the deceased Haruno clan members and slowly walked towards the hospital. "That poor child...to whiteness this horrific scene at such a young age" everyone silently agreed with him "Itachi" he called, said boy was relieved of carrying his dead captain and stood before the Hokage "I want you to gather a team and find out what happened here...where is her mother?" "I'm not sure lord Hokage...she could be...among the dead" Itachi said a little hesitant with the last part "Find her" Itachi nodded his head "I don't think the girl will be up to questioning for a while" he mumbled to himself as Itachi disappeared to gather his team.

* * *

**Back To Present**

Sasuke was silent for a few minutes taking everything in before he spoke "I want to see her" he demanded looking from his brother to the Hokage. Sarutobi gave the boy a sad smile "You may see her but she has yet to wake up" Sasuke nodded his head in understanding.

When they reached the room that held the last living member of the Haruno clan, Sasuke's chest tightened not knowing what he would find on the other side of the door. Itachi opened the door and stepped in first followed by a hesitant Sasuke. Sasuke stepped away from Itachi and looked to the bed, where a small body was hidden by covers.

Sasuke moved closer to the bad and looked down at his sleeping only friend, a sadness and tremendous pain welled inside of him as he watched her jerk and whimper as if she was having a nightmare. He placed his hand on hers only for her to jerk away from the touch.

"What's wrong with her?" Sasuke asked not taking his eyes off the pinkette, "Sasuke she has been through a very traumatic thing at a very young age" Itachi said as he could remember the events of the second ninja war that he was dragged through leaving a deep impact in his mind "It will affect her greatly and she may not be the girl you remember when she wakes up".

Sasuke stayed with Sakura for the rest of the day and some of the night not wanting to leave in case she woke up, but when Itachi came to get him he had no choice but to leave the girl alone. A nurse was made to promise she would stay close to Sakura in case she woke up, by a very worried Sasuke before he and Itachi left the hospital and headed back home avoiding the Haruno compound all together.

* * *

_"Saakkuurraaaa"_

_That voice was very familiar._

_"Saakkuurraaaa" it sang again as Sakura walked down the dark hall in search of the sing song voice._

_"Saakkuurraaaa...come to us" it sang again becoming more familiar as Sakura came to a door at the end of the hall. As she stood in front of it she heard a loud click before the door creaked open. A bright light spewed from the crack as the door opened wider._

_Sakura had to close her eyes from the sudden brightness, but when she opened her eyes the light had dimmed and there stood two very familiar people one with light blue long hair and emerald green eyes with a warm smile. The other had deep green eyes and long red hair with her arms open reaching for something._

_A smile broke across Sakura's face as she ran to her parents._

_"Mummy, daddy...I missed you!"_

_She was so happy to see her parents, it had felt like a life time that they had been separated for. Sakura was half way to her mother's arms when something happened, the smiles on her parent's faces fell and they stood up straight with dead looks on their faces._

_Sakura stopped running and looked at them with a questioning look._

_"Mummy, daddy...w..what's wrong?"_

_The only answer was a dark chuckle as her parents were pierced through the chest with a blade. Sakura was frozen with horror as she watched her parents fall to the ground and where they were standing were two new figures._

_She recognised the two as Noki her cousin and the other she didn't know his name but she knew she would never forget his face with those red eyes looking back at her._

_A smirk appeared on Noki's face as he watched Sakura struggle to break free of the trap she had to be stuck in. Sakura looked up when the dark haired man with red eyes started to chuckled, Noki joined in. "You were too weak to save them...you will always be too weak to save anyone" Noki whispered as he and the other man cackled as they began to fade into the darkness._

_"We will be watching you"_

_The last part of the two she could see in the now dark room were their red eyes, one pair with black coma's swirling slowly and the other three electric blue lines sparking around. Both set's watching her as they disappeared along with everything else, including her parents._

_"N..no mummy...daddy!"_

* * *

Sakura sat straight up in the bed with tears streaming down her face and her body wet with sweat, she looked around the room noticing that she wasn't in her home. The smells of the hospital filled her senses as she looked around again 'it was just a dream...just a dream' but then the memories of the night before and the two faces that haunted her mind came back tenfold.

Sakura clutched her head in her hands trying to get the pictures and sounds of her clan dying out of her head when she heard nurses talking outside the door.

"Poor kid did you hear she's the only one left" one said

"Yeah...I heard she watched them die" a gasp

"Did they find her mother yet"

"No...no signs anywhere"

Sakura's heart clenched at that.

"And at such a young age, imagine the mental damage"

"Yeah but I was also informed by Ami that when she and the others got there, the girl and her father were in a wind created shield"

"How can that be there isn't any protective jutsu like that" the other said in disbelief

The first hummed an agreement "If Ami hadn't said that that young Uchiha boy was thrown back by the force I wouldn't have believed her myself" she said "But when the girl looked at them Ami said she had some weird eye thing going on called tomokugan"

Another gasp "That's the same blood-line that defeated Madara Uchiha's sharingan all those yea..."

Sakura couldn't listen to any more of what was being said having slipped out of the window and headed to her home. 'My family, they can't be gone' was the thought running through her mind as she made her way to the compound not even aware of the stares as she walked through the main part of the village.

The gates to the Haruno clan had a police tape on it stopping people from entering...or so they thought. Sakura made her way through the compound expecting a hug from an aunt or uncle or a cousin running up asking for her to play with them, but none came. Everything was silent except for the wind and Sakura's footsteps.

As she passed her uncle Shou's house she could see the damage done to it from a fight or from what the women said it was where she had thrown Itachi. She ignored the pang of guilt in her chest and kept walking towards her home hoping and praying that her parents were there waiting for her.

There were no signs of life as she entered her home, walking through the empty house until she found herself at the door to her parent's room. She entered the room and made her way to the bed as tears welled up in her eyes.

'Mummy and daddy aren't coming back are they?' she asked herself not expecting a response.

**'No my child they aren't' **came the voice of her inner

Sakura didn't respond as she crawled up to the head of the bed and laid in the middle letting the smells of her parents enter her senses. She was unsure of how long she had been there minutes, hour's, days even she didn't care. As she made a resolve to become strong only to destroy those who took her family away from her, even if she lost her own life.

She shut everything out including the voice within her, even harshly sending her one and only friend away. She would continue with the academy only to become stronger and when she no longer needed it she would go after them, because as of that day Sakura Haruno became an avenger of the Haruno clan.

Two years after the Haruno massacre, Konoha was hit with another tragedy. For reasons unknown to anyone but himself, Itachi Uchiha became an s-ranked missing nin after slaughtering his clan leaving his little brother the only one alive. After torturing him in the mongekyou sharingan with their parents and clan members deaths, Itachi demanded Sasuke acquire the same eye technique so he too like Noki could test his ability on his kin.

This left Konoha with a handicap of no longer having two of the three most powerful clans in fire country and two very alone children who were once the only friend each other had. Before one turned their back on the other and friendships were forgotten, not knowing each other were what they would need to hold onto their humanity.

******

* * *

**

**Okay so I hope you guys liked this chapter as much as the first one, good guess caga2007 on Itachi's dad Fugaku on being the bad guy lol. When I wrote that part in the last chapter I knew people would think that lol.**

**A hint to who the person is, is in the first chapter and up top if you guys haven't already guessed it.**

**Remember if you have any questions or are confused about something don't hesitate to ask me and I will try to answer it as best I can.**

**Thank you for taking the time to read my story:)**

**An even bigger thank you to cowgirl137, caga2007, christiansrose, **

**and a special thank you to my friend Tenchi who was the first to reveiw**

**I couldn't wait to update just for you guys. I hope I don't disappoint you guys.**

**Disclaimer: I woke up and sitll I do not own Naruto.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so here's another update, Oh and I got in trouble with the last chapters lol my little sister who goes by the name of haruai who has been helping me write lol so anyway we had a bit of trouble with words and disappearing names on the last update so hopefully it will be safe this time lol. Anyway hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the last two, we had a lot of trouble with taking bits out to make it not so long and boring lol but somehow it got longer T_T anyway enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I wish I did but I still don't**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

It would be another five years before the two self proclaimed avengers would cross paths again at the assigning of genin teams.

Sakura was strolling along the road to the academy, not in any hurry to get there knowing full well she would be late to the team assignments but she didn't care. She knew whoever was on her team would only just slow her down from her goal, and she wouldn't let them.

As she neared the academy from one side another figure came from the other side, she was used to meeting the dark haired boy at the gate every day as it was their only interaction and they were both happy with it that way. They both reached the door at the same time, glaring at each other for a moment before either spoke. "Uchiha" Sakura gruffly greeted "Haruno" Sasuke greeted back with the same tone as the last Haruno. (Sakura was wearing what she wore in Shippuuden only redder and Sasuke same as what he wore in the first one)

After the greeting if you could call it that, the pair entered the class. Now each avenger usually sat at the opposite end of the room to each other, but today would be different. Before they even got to take their seats Iruka-sensei made all of the academy student's stand and line up against the wall. This was so he could call out the teams and have them sit together.

Upon their entry Sasuke and Sakura were almost immediately swamped by fan-girls and boys, this aggravated them to no end. Sakura even went as far as beating her fans to a pulp a month ago but something about being the bad girl drew more fan-boys to her, it was to 'tame the untameable' 'conquer the unconquered' 'ride the wild wind' and stuff like that.

But there was always one fan who never got the message no matter how much you beat them, lucky for Sakura his parents moved away taking the freak with them. She looked over to the boy next to her and smirked, he was being smothered by two girls. One's name was Ino who had long blonde hair in a pony-tail and bright blue eyes and the other...Hoshi who she hated with a passion.

"Get off of my man bitch!" Ino growled pulling Sasuke closer to her, "For your information...pig" Hoshi spat "He is my man" it was like a tug-O-war match with Sasuke as the rope. Sakura thought it was very hilarious that the Uchiha had to deal with this on a day to day basis, he even had to hide at lunch from his rabid fans. Although she knew where he hid because it wasn't far from where she went every day...in a way she felt sorry for him because she had to go through what he was going through as well, but she'd never tell anyone that.

Anyway she had to chuckle at the sight...that is until Hoshi yanked Sasuke hard causing Ino to let go and the pair went flying back colliding with a certain pinkette.

They all fell to the ground Sakura under the pair and Sasuke sandwiched between the two girls "Oh Sasuke you care about me that much to break my fall" Hoshi squealed as she hugged him ignoring the squashed girl under them.

It was a moment of silence as everyone stared at the mound of flailing limbs from two very pissed off genin and the squeals of one _very _happy fan-girl before the others joined in.

"Get off my Sasuke you bitch!"

"He's not your Sasuke, he's mine!"

"Get off me Hoshi...Sakura stop hitting me!"

"Sasuke?...who cares about that creep what about my Sakura"

"Would you _both_ get off me and no not until you get off me"

"Sakura can't breathe...I'll give her mouth to mouth and bring her back to life and she'll love me forever"

"Oh Sasuke I knew you cared for me...we're going to get married and have lots of beautiful children wi..."

"How about...you get off...him so he can get the _hell_ off me!" Sakura almost yelled cutting Hoshi's rambling off as she tried to push Sasuke and the red head off her but the pair were too heavy for her alone. Sasuke winced at the volume of her voice as her mouth was close to his ear, so she had literally shouted into his ear a smirk immediately found it's way to his face.

"What's the matter .ra...you scared to let your fan-girl out?" he said as he held Hoshi's face away from him who was trying to plant one on him. He knew she wasn't a fan-girl but he couldn't help it, they were rivals for the top spot of the academy and all so anything to rile her up.

A growl was heard from under him causing his smirk to widen as Hoshi was hoisted off him by Iruka. He got off the fuming pinkette and turned to look at her with his cocky smirk, if looks could kill Sasuke would have found himself six foot under with a body covered in kunai and shuriken thrown with just Sakura's eyes.

"In your dreams Uchiha" Sakura growled as she stepped forward closing the gap between them so they were that close they could feel the hate radiating off of each other. "Your just an egotistical bastard who thinks he's the best"

The room became deathly quiet, not even the fans made a sound as they all stared at the pair glaring at each other.

"At least I'm not a pa..." Sasuke got cut off as Iruka pulled the two apart "Okay settle down you two" he said moving Sasuke to the other side of the line (he was now having a glaring match with Sakura who promised much pain when no one was around) before he began placing the genin into their teams.

"Okay team six Hoshi Nankobo, Tennai Nankobo, and Kanon Tokugawa" Hoshi and her brother who looked so much like her that it was hard to tell he was a boy moved to sit at a desk with Hoshi's lackey.

"Team seven Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno" Naruto a spiky haired sun-kissed blonde with bright blue eyes and three scar like whiskers on each side of his face and too hypo(?) for his own good cheered at the name of his teammate, Sakura rolled her eyes and moved over to the boy giving him a glare which shut him up before he even spoke to her. "And...Sasuke Uchiha" all three faces dropped two thinking 'Great anyone but him' and the other 'why those two? The outcast and her' as Sasuke moved to his team and sat on the other side of Naruto away from Sakura who was glaring at him.

Iruka sighed a nervous sigh '_I hope you know what you're doing putting those two together lord Hokage...they could end up killing each other'_

* * *

After all the teams had been picked (Most of the fan-boys and girls complaining that they didn't get onto their beloved's team) Iruka had the jounin pick up their teams. The last team in the room was team seven as their sensei had yet to show, "Man when are they going to get here" Naruto whined as he drew on the blackboard "All the other teams have their sensei's and gone to do team stuff...even Iruka-sensei's gone"

Both Sakura and Sasuke rolled their eyes as it was the fifteenth time the blonde had complained in half an hour. The pair were on either side of the room Sasuke sitting on a desk with one leg bent up and his elbow leaning on it with the other leg hanging and his head hanging down as if he were sleeping. Sakura had her arms crossed across her chest with her eyes closed and leaning against a wall "I hope we have someone as cool as that guy the scary Sasuke-fan and her team had...did you know he was smoking in the room, how cool is that!"

Sakura opened an eye when she heard Naruto chuckle closing it again when she saw what he was doing, "That won't work, the jounin won't fall for it" Sasuke said not even lifting his head to look at the boy "How do you know what I'm doing" Naruto said as he stood on a chair at the door placing a duster between the door and wall so when someone came in it would hit them fair and square on the head. "You just watch, whoever it is won't see it coming believe it!" Naruto gave a thumps up and a big goofy grin as he stepped away from the door.

Not even a minute later they heard footsteps coming towards the door, all three looked at the door two silently wishing the trap would work and the other snickering while covering his mouth. As the door opened a silver haired man poked his head in only to have his entire head turn white after the duster fell. Naruto was bent over holding his stomach from the laughter "I can't believe it...he...he totally fell for it" he managed to say before another fit of laughter, and Sakura and Sasuke were looking at the man with shocked faces '_It actually worked'_ Sakura was in disbelief _'He can't be a jounin'_ Sasuke thought staring at the man.

The jounin walked in shaking the dust off to reveal a mask covering from his nose to the base of his neck where his standard jounin clothes covered the rest. His headband was covering his left eye so the only part of his face showing was his right side and unamused black eye along with his gravity defying silver hair that slanted to the left and spiked out.

The man picked up the duster from the floor and looked at it for a moment "Hm...how do I put this" he said in a bored calm tone. Placing the duster on the desk, he closed his eyes and placed his hand on his chin in a thinking pose "My first impression of this group...you're a bunch of idiots" He said finally looking at all three "Meet me on the roof" and with that the leader of team seven disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sasuke and Sakura glanced at each other-well more like glared-with the same thought running through their minds '_This is going to be interesting_' they began to make their way out of the room followed by a grumbling Naruto "I'll show him who's an idiot" he mumbled, a smirk appeared on Sasuke's face at that.

They reached the top where their sensei was waiting, all three sat down Sakura and Sasuke on either end and Naruto in the middle all a good distance away from each other. Kakashi noticed this '_Looks like we need to work on team work'_ "So...why don't you introduce yourselves...one at a time," the jounin suggested.

Naruto spoke up first "Introduce ourselves? Well... what are we supposed to say exactly?" Kakashi looked at each of his students thinking of what he wanted to know "How about things you like...things you hate...dreams for the future...hobbies...stuff like that," he explained. "Why don't you go first...I mean show us how it's done before we go" Naruto said.

Kakashi pointed his finger at himself "Who..me?" Naruto nodded sweat-dropping, "I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate...I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future...never really thought about it. As for my hobbies...I have lots of hobbies" he then pointed to Naruto "Your turn". Sakura sighed 'All he told us was his name'

"Okay so I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like instant ramen in a cup, and I _really_ like the ramen Iruka-sensei got me at the Ichiraku ramen bar...but I hate the three minutes you have to wait after you pour the water in the ramen cup. My hobby is eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them...and my dream for the future is...to be the _greatest_ Hokage! So then the whole village would have to stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm _somebody_! Somebody important!" _'So the Jinchuuriki of the nine-tailed fox wants acceptance'_ Kakashi thought

"Good, okay next" Kakashi said pointing to Sasuke.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha" he said hands clasped together and chin resting on them, the atmosphere began to grow dark around him causing Naruto to move away "I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything" Kakashi and Naruto sweat-dropped, and Sakura wasn't really listening as she played with a kunai "What I have is not a dream...because I will make it a reality" Naruto backed away from Sakura as she glared at him "I'm going to restore my clan...and destroy...a certain someone" By now Naruto was almost sitting on Kakashi as he feared for his life not wanting to go near either Sakura or Sasuke in case he was that person Sasuke wanted to...gulp...destroy or becoming the new owner of a kunai.

"Oookaay...last but not least" Kakashi said eyeing the boy off and pushing Naruto away from him.

"My name is Sakura Haruno...and the only things you need to know about me are I don't want nor need any of you and I am going to avenge my clan so stay out of my way"

Once again Kakashi sweat-dropped '_So I have a jinchuuriki that is crazy for ramen and wants the acceptance of the village and two avengers with lots of issues...what have you gotten me into Sarutobi?_'

"Okay we have our first mission tomorrow" Kakashi said after a moment of silence. All three genin looked at him, Naruto with the most excitement "What kind of mission?" he asked with a big goofy grin. Kakashi folded his arms and looked up to the sky before he spoke looking back at his students "It's more of a task than a mission that the four of us will do together" Naruto becoming more excited "What is it, what is it!" he almost looked like he was going to jump on Kakashi. The aura around Kakashi became darker "A survival exercise"

Naruto's grin fell "Wa...survival exercise? I thought we were supposed to have a real mission" he whined "We already did that stuff at the academy I want a real mission!" Kakashi _sighed 'Are they sure he's a twelve year...oh that's right he's supposed to be thirteen'_ "This isn't a normal exercise" _'so if it isn't normal then what the hell is it?'_ Sakura thought, lucky for her Naruto voiced her question for her.

The answer he got was a chuckle from Kakashi, '_Good one Naruto...you broke him'_ Sakura thought. Sasuke sweat-dropped _'Okaaay...we have a seriously mental teacher'_ Naruto on the other hand scratched his head not understanding why the silver haired man was laughing "Okay I don't get it...did I say something funny?"

Kakashi stopped laughing and with an amused tone answered him "Well if I tell you, you won't like the answer" this peaked the other two's curiosity and they paid attention to him.

"I warned you...Of the 27 graduates that just got assigned teams only 9 of you will actually be accepted as genin" Kakashi said in the most serious tone they had heard from him so far "The other 18 will be sent back to the academy" his tone lightened a little "In other words this is a pass fail test, and the chances of you failing is...high" All three scowled.

"See I told you, you wouldn't like the answer" Kakashi said in a teasing tone as he smiled at them. It was silent for a moment before Naruto spoke...well more like yelled "That's crazy! We worked hard to get here believe it!" he babbled, the other two agreeing with him. "What was that graduation stuff for?" Kakashi looked amused at the voiced thoughts "Oh that, that was just to select the candidates who might become genin...or not"

"WHAT!"

Okay so that was an over the top response. "That's the way it is" Kakashi said pulling his finger out of his ear "I decide whether you pass or fail...be at training ground 7 at 5am...be prepared and don't be late"

Naruto looked like he was ready to lunge at Kakashi...come to think of it they all did. '_Well I'm not going to wimp out...I have to do this to become Hokage and be treated like somebody_' Naruto thought, '_I never back down from a challenge'_

The same thoughts were going through both Sakura and Sasuke's minds _'I am not failing this test I will become stronger and when I do I will find them/him and make them/him pay for what they/he did'_

Kakashi watched as the look of determination crossed all of his young student's faces _'this is going to be...interesting' _

Kakashi stood and faced the village "Okay that's all, you can go" he turned and with a mischievous look on his face "Oh and if I were you I would miss breakfast tomorrow...or else you'll puke" All three looked at him with wide eyes as if to say _'You have got to be kidding me'_, and with that said he disappeared only to reappear before the Hokage "You know when I said I wanted a challenge after ANBU I didn't mean impossible".

* * *

The next morning Sasuke got up early to train before the supposed jounin-who couldn't avoid the simplest pathetic trick the blonde set up-arrived for their 'training', so he set out for the training ground they would all meet up at in an hour. As he got closer he could feel someone's chakra fluctuating 'Someone_ else must be here training...can't be the ramen lover so...' _he hid his chakra and crept into the bushes to get a closer look at whoever was there.

Sakura had trouble sleeping at night from the dreams that plagued her mind from all those years ago, so after two hours of tossing and turning she went to her new teams designated training ground-after visiting her special place...lucky for her they were close to each other-to work on her skills. She had been trying for the last two hours to recreate the bubble of wind and lightning she created when she was six, but she just couldn't get it right considering wind wasn't one of her elements. She was only able to control water at the moment, heck she even had trouble with bringing out the full power of her kekkei genkai at the moment.

After another hour she gave up with a defeated sigh "I'll work on it again later...if only I could remember what I did to create it" she mumbled as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply concentrating on the water now under her feet. As she concentrated she could feel the water rising and swirling around her, it was very easy for her to manipulate the water especially after her grandfather taught her the jutsu to do it.

Sasuke looked through the branches of the tree he was now sitting in to see water dancing around the female member of team seven _'how is she doing that?'_ he thought as he watched. It was a mesmerising experience to witness, Sasuke felt so calm as he watched the water dance, swirl and dip around the pinkette. Only after the dance of sorts stopped did he feel all the anger and hate return to his body.

"I know your there, so stop hiding...Sasuke" Sakura called as the water went back to where it had come from, Sasuke was shocked to say the least _'How did she know I was here?_' he jumped down from the tree after readjusting his emotions "Hn...how long have you been here for?" he asked walking over to a tree near the girl and leaning on it watching as she pulled out some shuriken and throwing them at the wooden dummy hitting the centre.

"A while" was all Sakura said as she went to retrieve her weapons, Sasuke watched her for a moment before he asked the question he had been wanting to know "How did you do that with the water?" Sakura looked at him with a scowl "Look _Sasuke_" she said her voice laced with annoyance "Just because we were put on the same team doesn't mean I have to be nice and tell you anything about me and what I do...got it" Sasuke glared at her.

There was silence for a moment as the pair glared neither one moving or backing down. But in that moment something changed for the pair...something just clicked and a new feeling was starting to bubble to the surface, was it sympathy for each other they didn't know but as they looked at each other they could see themselves it the other's eyes. All the pain, betrayal, hate and sadness reflected from coal and emerald orbs were the same.

"I..." Sakura began to say but stopped herself _'What is going on'_ she didn't know what was wrong with her all of a sudden but she didn't like it.

Sasuke on the other hand was trying very hard to push this new feeling into the back of his mind to be locked away. The only feeling he would allow himself was hatred and nothing else was welcome especially not sympathy care and compassion. _'Nothing will get in my way'_

Sakura turned away from him and began walking away, but was stopped by a whisper.

"I'm sorry" he whispered before he even knew what he was doing, the instant those two words came from his mouth he froze.

She froze _'D...did he just apologize?'_ No he couldn't have it was just the wind playing tricks on her..or so she told herself. Sakura slowly turned herself around to look at the frozen Uchiha "Did you say...something?" she asked a little hesitantly. "I..." Sasuke couldn't bring himself to say anything "No" he finally managed before turning and walking away "I'm sorry too" was heard and a small sad smile found its way onto his face as he kept walking to the other side of the training ground.

What those few words meant to each of them was _"I'm sorry you went through what you did but you also understand why I can't have distractions in the way of reaching my goal...I' sorry"_

It wasn't long before their rivalry kicked back in and all previous encounters were forgotten and they were trying to outdo each other in most bullseyes.

Naruto joined them an hour later, he was careful not to go near the two. From the glares they were throwing to each other whenever they caught each other's gaze, and from their dark auras he knew they were pissed off and that he might get a kunai or shuriken lodged into his body if he happened to get into their paths _'This is payback for painting the Hokage mountain isn't it Iruka-sensei'_ Naruto thought as he watched his teammates.

The sun was almost to the middle of the sky signalling late morning and their sensei still hadn't showed up yet. By this time all three were sitting on the grass oddly close to each other. Sasuke was sharpening his weapons while Sakura was reading a scroll, Naruto on the other hand had found a mouse looking thing and was playing with it.

"Ouch! That's it" the blonde growled after the rodent bit him to escape the clutches of the evil giant blonde thing and scurried away. Both Sasuke and Sakura looked to the boy as he held his finger "It's not fair...he tells us to be here so early and not to be late and not have breakfast" he rambled, Sasuke and Sakura went back to what they were doing also silently cursing their sensei as well.

"He can't even be on time to our first training as a team...I got out early and missed my ramen to be here on time..."

As Naruto rambled on he and the other two were unaware of the silver haired jounin sitting in a tree not far from the group half watching them half reading a little orange book. He had been there since just before Sasuke had gotten there, watching how his team interacted, which wasn't a lot...except for that interesting moment between Sasuke and Sakura earlier. Naruto began shouting and Sakura and Sasuke started threatening to beat him to a pulp when Kakashi decided they had had enough team bonding time so he poofed into the field.

"Good morning everyone, ready for your first day...sorry to be la..." Kakashi got cut off by an actuary finger pointed at him "You're late!" Naruto shouted, three sweat-drops and '_No shit Sherlock'_ '_What gave you that idea' _and_ 'He really is an idiot'_ went through the three's minds.

"Well a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way around" Kakashi said with a smile "Hm and which road would that be?...the road to rain country" Sakura mumbled, Naruto started laughing and Sasuke smirked but Kakashi ignored it...for now at least.

"Okay so let's get started" Kakashi said as he walked over to a tree stump and pulled out a timer "Here we go" he said placing his hand over the start button "It's set for noon" he turned it on and faced them "your task is very simple" he said holding up two bells "You have to take these from me" the bells jingled in the breeze "If you don't get them by noon then you go without lunch"

"WHAT!"

Again with the over the top response.

"But if it's set til noon than we only have an hour to get them...wait what about lunch?" Naruto asked scratching his head

"You'll be tied to those posts" Kakashi pointed to three posts off to the right of them ignoring his blonde student and shook his head at the cluelessness of the boy "And watch while I eat mine"

All three sweat-dropped "So that's why you told us not to eat breakfast" Naruto grumbled as three stomachs growled in protest, kakashi nodded his head with a pleased smile on his face.

A thought came to Sakura's mind "Wait there's three of us and only two bells...what's the catch?" Kakashi smiled "Well that's easy my dear sweet little Sakura" Kakashi said sweat-dropping at the look Sakura gave him "that's so one of you will be tied to the post and have to still watch me eat before being disqualified and sent back to the academy" three scowls were his response "although you all could flunk" the bells jangled again to emphasize the task.

One thought went through their minds '_that won't be me'_

Kakashi just smiled "Okay you can use any weapons including shuriken and kunai. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."

Naruto snorted.

"Those weapons are too dangerous... especially since you couldn't even dodge that _duster_!"

"Class clowns are usually the _weakest_ links. You can safely ignore them. Lowest scores..._losers_..." Kakashi said in his soon to be well known bored tone.

"When I say 'start', you can begin."

Naruto growled noisily at his sensei, his face red with anger.

He quickly pulled out a kunai and lunged for his teacher.

In a flash, Kakashi had the boy's hand caught with it turned so that the kunai was pointed at his own neck. His free hand was holding Naruto's head, making sure that the kid wouldn't be able to escape from his grasp.

"Don't be in such a hurry," Kakashi spoke as if he was lecturing a baby. "I didn't say 'start' yet."

Both Sakura and Sasuke glared with anticipation and backed a step away '_I don't have time for these games'_ Sakura thought as she watched the jounin with her idiot of a teammate. _'He's so fast I didn't even see him move'_

'_So he is a jounin...he's fast'_ Sasuke thought

"But... you came at me with the full intention to destroy me so...I think I'm actually going to _like _you guys," Kakashi complimented as he let Naruto go.

Kakashi stood up straighter and gave them a little bit of a heads start.

"Get ready..."

All three tensed.

"Start!"

They all leapt off into different directions.

Kakashi stood in the same spot in the open field. "Ninja must know how to conceal their movements and hide effectively," Kakashi recited from memory _'well at least they have that worked out'_.

"HEY YOU AND ME RIGHT NOW! I CAN TAKE YOU ANY TIME...LET'S GO!" Naruto declared after jumping out of the tree's and landed right in front of him.

Found Naruto...

"You know...compared to the others...you're a bit...weird" Kakashi observed.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto shot back. "The only thing weird _here_ is your haircut!"

Naruto began running at him with a kunai, Kakashi sighed 'I guess there's no better time like now for this'

Naruto spotted Kakashi's hand slip into his pouch. Assuming the worst, Naruto stopped in his tracks and jumped back, ready for any weapons thrown at him.

"Shinobi Battle Techniques: Part One, Taijutsu; The Physical Art," Kakashi recalled from a book he had once read.

Naruto heightened his guard. _'Taijutsu! That means hand to hand combat!'_ he thought in alarm. Kakashi's hand went deeper into his pouch and grabbed something. _'Then why is he reaching for a weapon?"_ Kakashi pulled his hand out of his pouch to reveal...a book!

_Icha Icha Paradise.._.to be exact.

Naruto was completely befuddled. "What the...?" "What are you waiting for?" Kakashi asked while reading. "Make your move."

"But...I mean..." Naruto stammered. "Why...are you reading a book?"

"Why?" Kakashi let out a breath of exasperation. "To find out what happens in the story, of course."

"Don't let it bother you," Kakashi continued. "With your weak pathetic attacks, it doesn't matter whether I'm reading or...whatever."

A scowl marred Naruto's already annoyed face, and he pulled up his sleeve, rushing for his sensei.

"I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU!"

He punched.

Kakashi caught his fist.

He kicked.

Kakashi ducked.

Naruto gathered his strength, jumped "Now you're mine!" and punched...nothing.

"Huh...?"

The space where Kakashi once _had_ been was empty.

"Don't let your enemy get _behind _you all the time Naruto" came a voice from his posterior.

Kakashi's eye flashed, his hands in the seal of the tiger.

From the bushes a little way from them Sasuke was crouching down, he recognised the hand sign as a fire jutsu _'that jutsu will annihilate him'_ his body went rigid.

From the other side of the field Sakura was watching from behind a tree _'That's the hand sign for the tiger...he can't do that...how can a genin like him go up against a jounin and win'_ She thought, she was about to yell and tell him to get out of there but it was too late.

"Leaf Village Secret Finger Jutsu! A Thousand Years of Death!" Naruto was sweating a river as the voice said that 'I'm going to die' went through his mind just before he found his sensei's fingers poke painfully into his rear end and catapulted him into the air.

"AHHHHHHH!"

Was heard as Naruto went flying over the trees and into the pond.

Sasuke and Sakura both sweat-dropped.

'_They are both idiots'_ Sasuke thought as he shook his head

"Now where was I...oh there" Kakashi said as he pulled the book back up to his face and began reading again.

Under the water Naruto was fuming _'I'm not going to let it end like this'_ he thought with renewed determination as he swam to the surface _'I'll attack from the water...NOW!'_

Two shuriken flew out of the water at Kakashi's head, but right before it hit, he skilfully caught them.

Naruto pulled himself out of the water, panting.

"What are you doing now?" Kakashi questioned lazily as the shuriken twirled around his fingers before stopping. "You're not going to get lunch unless you take a bell in." he looked to the sky "Forty minutes"

"I know, I know! You told us already!" Naruto shouted in anger.

"Well you look kind of wobbly for someone who's going to Hokage one day."

"You told us not to eat breakfast!" Naruto protested. "How can I fight when I'm starving to death?"

Both Sasuke and Sakura's stomach grumbled in agreement with the blonde.

"So, you caught me off guard, that's all it was, believe it!" the hyperactive ninja yelled, with his hands in the air. "I'm...so hungry I don't have any strength...but I can't let that stop me! I _gotta_ get that bell no matter what! I'll find the strength _somehow_, believe it! I'm gonna pass this test, and I'm _not_ going back...to...the...academy?"

Naruto sweat-dropped for Kakashi was giggling like a school girl while reading his book "HEY! I was making a really cool speech!" Naruto yelled and stomped his feet while pouting.

Kakashi looked up at him "Oh sorry were you saying something?"

"I...you...ah forget it!" he said in exasperation "Just know this"

The water behind Naruto started stirring.

"I _will_ become a ninja!"

All at once, seven shadow clones burst out from the water.

"Haha! You're overconfident, sensei!" one of them exclaimed. "That's why you weren't ready for a shadow clone attack, my best jutsu!"

'_What seven Naruto clones'_ Sakura thought in disbelief '_How could he do that when he couldn't even create one at the academy...wait they're real clones'_ the two other team 7 members watched as seven Naruto's race towards Kakashi.

'_So what they said was true, he mastered the forbidden shadow clone jutsu...interesting'_ Kakashi thought as they got closer to him.

"Very impressive jutsu" Kakashi complimented and in the next breath "But...I don't think you can maintain it for very long though" this riled Naruto up more "You talk like you're the best Naruto...but in reality you still are the worst student out there...you wont beat me with this jutsu" he said in a lazy tone.

While Kakashi was talking he didn't notice the Naruto sneaking up on him until it was too late, he was now sporting a Naruto as a backpack _'What...he got me from behind_' The Naruto's were gaining on him and he couldn't move.

"Hehe...didn't you say to _not_ let the enemy get behind you sensei?" Naruto said as six of the seven Naruto's latched onto his legs making sure he wasn't going anywhere while the other got a fist ready to pound him. "I had one of my clones come out of the water and sneak up behind you super quietly."

As he came down on Kakashi he yelled "Now _this_ is for nailing me in the butt earlier!"

_'Diversionary tactic...nice...'_ Sasuke thought.

His fist connected with a face, the body fell to the ground with an oof revealing...Kakashi was no longer there and a Naruto clone was in his place causing Naruto to actually hit...himself.

"What...hey where'd he go?"

'You idiot,_ He got you with a replacement jutsu...'_ Sasuke thought as he shook his head and began to look for where the silver haired jounin was now. "A replacement jutsu" Sakura whispered to herself as she watched the eight Naruto's fight over who was the man they were looking for.

"JUST RELEASE THE JUTSU!" two Naruto's yelled after what felt like five minutes of puching kicking and hair pulling and a puff of smoke later and there stood a beaten and battered Naruto. 'You really are an idiot' three people thought at the same time.

Naruto looked around for the man but something caught his eye near a tree, he looked over to see a bell there _'hehe he must have dropped it when I attacked'_ He ran over to it and was about to pick it up when a rope found itself around his ankles and in the next instant he was hanging upside down leaving him flailing around at the end of the rope like a fish on a hook.

"Hey, HEY! Lemme' down! What is this?"

_'Of _course_ it was a trap...'_ Sasuke rolled his eyes. _'That jounin never lets his guard down. Even when he's fighting a fool like Naruto...'_

"Hey! The bell!" Naruto stretched and clawed for the bell, but he was just too high up to reach it.

"Think before you use a jutsu Naruto...or else your opponent might use it against you" a bored voice said as a hand came out and grabbed the bell, Naruto looked up...well down, to see Kakashi standing there with a disapproving look on his face. "And also" Kakashi said throwing the bell up in the air before catching it again "if the bait's too obvious...don't take it" he said with a smile.

Naruto moaned in frustration.

"A ninja must see through deception..."

Waving his fists, and trying to slip out of the trap, he yelled, "I...GET...IT!"

The jounin shook his head.

"I'm telling you this because you _don't_ get it. You _think_ you get it, which is not the same as actually _getting_ it."

'_This is my chance'_ Sasuke thought at the jounin had his back to him and was preoccupied with the idiot, he was about to throw some shuriken at him when Kakashi was hit from the other side with four kunai. "Sasuke you went too far!" Naruto yelled as their sensei fell to the ground "It wasn't me you idiot" Sasuke growled, but all thoughts were replaced when the man poofed into a log.

'_Another substitution jutsu'_ Sakura thought _'does he ever let his guard down...now he knows where I...well they think it was Sasuke_' a smirk went across her face as she made a move to hide herself again.

'_So that's where she was hiding'_ Kakashi thought as he watched the pinkette run off unknowingly towards her dark haired comrade. He looked over towards Naruto as the boy was able to free himself from the rope only to be caught in another one, Kakashi shook his head and chuckled before following the female member of team seven towards the Uchiha '_Two birds with one stone'_

* * *

She knew he was following her, but Sakura couldn't sense Kakashi's chakra anywhere near her '_Where is he...man he's good_' she thought as she kept running through the trees. There was no sign of anyone and not a sound in the trees when Sakura came to a stop.

"What the hell's going on?" she said as she looked around, the forest became eerie through the silence and the forest began to grow darker. A chill ran up Sakura's spine as a twig snapped and the sound echoed all around her.

She whipped her head from left to right unable to find where the sound had come from. She could feel the fear that had left her seven years ago at the back of her mind but she wouldn't let it come forth. "Who's there?" she said, but was met with silence. "Sasuke? Naruto you better not be playing games or I swear you will regret it!" Sakura started to get agitated when there was once again silence as her answer.

"Come out you cowards!" she yelled, there was no movement so she slowly began walking with her guard on high alert.

A deep sinister chuckle broke through the silence causing Sakura to freeze up _'I...I've heard that before'_ the laughter came closer but Sakura couldn't move her body an inch. "W...who's th...there?" the fear was taking full control of her body now.

"It's good to see you my child" came a very familiar voice from all around her, making it extremely hard to pinpoint the location of the vile being who helped take her family away "I told you we would be keeping our eye's on you" the voice said. "C...come out you bastard" Sakura said looking around.

There was a snap of a branch to the left of her, Sakura's head snapped to the branch but all that she could see was the branch moving. A snap to the right, her head followed the movement only to be met with the movement of the branch "Why are you hiding, too scared to show yourself?" Sakura could feel herself regaining control over her fear as she became agitated at the cowardice of this monster who calls himself a man.

"Why would I come out when playing with you is so much more fun" the voice chuckled, Sakura's anger and hate came back full force "SHOW YOURSELF SO I CAN KILL YOU NOW!" she screamed as she pulled out a kunai from her pouch and prepared for a fight.

What came out of the brush was not what she expected to happen.

A familiar woman with long red hair and deep green eyes stepped out of the tree line and took a step towards Sakura. Sakura stared at the woman for a while before her mind registered what was happening "M...mother?" she whispered as the woman smiled at her. "My baaabbbbyyy" the woman almost sang in an eerie tone but that didn't register in Sakura's mind, all she cared about was that her mother was alive and standing in front of her.

"Mummy your alive!" Sakura cried as she ran into her mother's open arms not registering the coldness of the woman's skin. A hand found its way to running through Sakura's hair the way her mother did when she was a child "I...I missed you so much...I thought you were dead"

Sakura burrowed her head into the woman's neck and let the familiar peppermint and strawberry scent wash over her like it used to, as the woman continued to caress the pinkette "I knew you wouldn't leave me" Sakura felt her eyes watering up but she didn't care.

"Oh the poor, poor little girl" in her happy moment Sakura forgot about the man that was _playing _with her, she whipped her body around to stand in front of her mother to protect the last member of her clan. "I won't let you touch her again you bastard!" the adrenaline running through her body was pumping to pulverise the coward.

Two cold arms wrapped around her shoulder's "My bbaaabbbyyy" her mother sang, "Please mother stay behind me, I will protect you" Sakura said as she put her free hand on her mother's arm.

The man chuckled again "You poor child...you can't see what's really going on" he said "Or is the torment of losing those you loved clouding your mind to what's happening around you" one of the arms around Sakura's shoulders moved to her neck and tightened as he chuckled.

"M...mother please...let m...me go" Sakura began to struggle as the grip on her began to cut off her precious air supply. _'W...what's happening'_ the arms around her became wider and stronger "Oh I'm not your mother" came a masculine voice next to her ear. Sakura's vision started to grow dimmer as her consciousness slowly started to leave her.

He released her from his hold and she fell to the ground in a heap gasping for air. When she regained her breath she looked to where her mother was supposed to be but found the dark haired man of her nightmares standing in front of her with a malicious smirk on his face as his red eyes watched her every move.

She couldn't help the fear for her mother rise inside her "Where's my mother?" she growled as she struggled to sit up but found her strength had left her. The man chuckled as he stepped closer to her and knelt down so he was level with her, Sakura flinched away from the hand that moved to her face.

"Don't worry dear little Sakura, I'm not going to hurt you...yet" he grabbed her chin "So much like your mother yet just like your father" "Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me!" Sakura growled as she violently shoved him and shakily stood up, holding her kunai in front of her.

In the next instant Sakura found herself pinned painfully against a tree with her hands held above her "No need to get a mad now...anger doesn't suit your face" the dark haired man whispered

"Sakura!"

"Looks like someone is missing you" the man chuckled, Sakura tried to get free of the man but he was just too strong for her. "W..who are you?" she asked looking into his eyes.

"Sakura!" the voice was coming closer.

"It looks like our little bit of time together is over hm" he said as he caressed her cheek "Don't worry you will have your chance again soon...but you are still too weak" he released her and she fell to the ground. Another figure was seen coming into the clearing and upon seeing the pinkette hunched over it came at a fast pace towards her.

The last thing Sakura seen before she passed out was Kakashi's covered face and the last words she heard were.

"I'm called Madara"

* * *

**Okay so how was that haru and I hope it wasn't too boring for you guys, we tried to take it down a bit but most of it was needed for us to set up for the next chapter. Anyway a big thank you to the guys who reviewed and added our story to your favs and alerts. You guys rock. **

**Christiansrose awww we made you cry lol it was a bit emotional wasn't it, and as for Noki he is a jerk isn't he but there is a twist in upcoming chapter's lol and yeah it is Madara.**

**Cowgirl137 haru and I hope that quenches your curiosity for their teamwork and thank you for the review**

**Caga2007 yep its Madara but please don't poke you eye lol or you won't be able to read anything, but I will tell you he isn't the only bad guy just don't tell haruai lol.**

**Loveorhate thank you for reviewing and no you're not being pushy lol**

**Kare Love 4ever thank you for the review and we hope you enjoy this instalment.**

**If there is any confusion or questions that pop up into your heads don't hesitate to ask and it shell be answered lol**

**Oh and the next chapter may take a little bit to update but as soon as it's done it will be straight up, also I need some help with an idea...I was wondering should I use one of the guys that are already bad for Sakura cos I can't have them both go to Oro...that's if Sakura leaves, I'm not sure about that yet. I was thinking of Itachi cos he was Shiro's teammate or should I just make up a bad guy...what do you guys think?**

**Thank you for taking the time to read**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay guys here is chapter 4, I am so sorry if there are any mistakes in here cos I had a bit of trouble editing lol. First off I had to fight with mine and Haru's cats over the laptop lol they are little buggers, I had to baby...well cat-sit Haru's cat that is named after her, my cat and hers are brothers so yeah ciaos and then I was listening to music and watching a really cool movie called Trick 'r Treat which is a horror. But let me tell you don't watch it at home alone cos it is really cool but freaky lol. The starts a doozy... ooh he's gonna get it now lol somehow I don't think that tree will grow there -.- Okay I have to stop watching this movie and get this updated for you guys lol**

**Anyway we hope you guys enjoy the chapter and thank you again to everyone who has reviewed, favourite'd and alerted it means a lot to Haruai and I that you enjoy our story.**

**Disclaimer: I tell myself time and time again but it doesn't mean you will be mine oh sweet lovable...Sasuke, ah who am I kidding you'll never be mine but you are lovable...DON'T KILL ME! **

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Sakura are you okay...wake up"

She could hear voices but her eyes were too heavy to open.

"Wake up!" her body began to violently shake.

"Ow! What was that for teme" it was Naruto's voice 'what is he doing...and whose teme?'

"Teme?" that was Sasuke "If you shake her like that she _won't _wake up..._dobe_"

'Did I miss something...what's going on?' then the memories from the man in the forest attacking her came back in a rush.

Sakura bolted up into a sitting position so fast that her head collided with another person's head, causing her and the person to fall back.

"Ow"

She looked to the sound while rubbing her head to see the blonde doing the same. "I think I just got hit with a speeding train...Sakura your awake!" sore head forgotten Naruto bounded over to her and hugged her tightly. "Na...Naru..to...get...off" Sakura got out while being squeezed to death. Sasuke helped by pulling him off when it looked like he was staying and because Sakura had started to turn blue.

Sakura regained her breath again only to once again be reminded of what had just happened before she lost consciousness. "Where is he" she shot up onto her feet, and frantically looked around for him.

Naruto was a little confused "Who...Kakashi-sensei, he we..." Naruto got cut off "No you idiot the monster that attacked me!" Sakura yelled. Naruto looked shocked at the way she spoke to him "B..but Sakura n..no-one attacked you, y..you didn't get attacked" he backed away from the deadly aura.

"WHAT!" She was beginning to sound like him "What do you mean no-one was there...he was there along with my mo..." a look of total fear crossed her face, "Where's my mother...oh Kami please let her be safe" Sakura took off into the direction of where she had been, hoping her mother was safe and sound.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other totally confused before Sasuke spoke up "Come on dobe we better go after her before she goes completely mad" Sasuke began walking towards where the pinkette had just run off to with his hands in his pockets.

Naruto stood there for a moment longer looking at his dark haired team-mate and the direction his pink haired team-mate went in "What is going on...I thought Sakura's mum died...hey, HEY! I am not a dobe, you are _teme_!" Naruto yelled as he ran to catch up to his team-mate.

Sakura ran into the forest looking for the spot where her mother had been "Mother!" the only thing she could hear where the birds chirping "Mother where are you...MOTHER!" there were no traces of hair nor hide of her mother not even her chakra. Sakura started to panic "Not again...please Kami don't take her away from me again" she whispered as tears threatened to fall free.

* * *

Kakashi was checking out the area where he had found Sakura a few minutes ago because something didn't feel right to him...and for the fact that he had found the pinkette under a genjutsu, a strong one at that.

"MOTHER!"

He looked behind him to see the girl come into the area, a sigh of relief exited his mouth when he saw that she was awake and moving '_Good she seems fine...although'_ Sakura ran up to him "Have you seen her?" she asked Kakashi was confused but also worried at the panicked state.

Sakura looked around "Where is she" she turned back to Kakashi when a memory popped into her head "Did you catch him please tell me he didn't get away...I need to find her"

Kakashi grabbed a hold of her shoulders "Sakura stop" he said sternly "Who are you talking about?" Sakura looked at him as if he had lost his marbles. "Who was I supposed to catch and who is _she_" he asked, the look she gave him didn't faze him one bit.

"the monster that took my family away from me and my mother...they were here" Sakura didn't understand why he didn't know who she was talking about "He was there when you found me...she was there" the tears finally fell "I was so close...I had her in my arms" she said as she sobbed. Kakashi pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around the braking girl. "I let him take her away from me again...a..and I was too w...weak to st...stop him"

Kakashi's heart went out to the girl as she cried into his chest 'You have been through so much' Kakashi pulled her away from him and lifted her chin so she had to look at him "Sakura...there was no-one there...when I found you, you were under a genjutsu" he said as he wiped the tears away from her cheek with his thumb "It wasn't your mother...none of it was real"

Sakura looked at him with wide eyes "N...no if it was a genjutsu I would have seen it...I would have" she whispered "She was here...she was" it felt like she was desperately trying to convince Kakashi that her mother had in fact been there but he could tell that she was realising the truth in her words. He felt so sorry for her and couldn't help but remember the conversation he had with the Hokage yesterday afternoon.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

"_You know when I said I wanted a challenge after ANBU I didn't mean impossible" Kakashi said as he poofed into the room. "So you've met them I guess" the grey haired Hokage said with a smile on his aged face, Kakashi just glared._

"_You gave me the last two remaining Haruno and Uchiha clan members and the kyuubi Jinchuuriki as students" Kakashi didn't hide his displeasure of the choice, "I gave them to you because I knew you and you alone would be the one to help them Kakashi...no matter how you look at it you four are all the same"_

_Kakashi looked at him a little confused "You are all alone and all your precious people have been taken from you...granted two of your students have lived through a massacre, and the other has no idea what his parents did for him...or who they are for that matter" Kakashi looked at him with a calm exterior yet inside he was taken aback at the explanation._

"_They need each other...believe it or not but Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were best friends before...the events of the Haruno massacre" Sarutobi was a little reluctant to talk about that event in history._

_Kakashi sat in the chair in front of the desk "Speaking of which...I know what happened to Sasuke but nothing about Sakura...and she seems like the type of person to tell me 'It's none of your business so back off' rather than actually talk about it"_

_Sarutobi chuckled "You only just met her and you already know her well"_

_He looked out the window and began to speak "When I first met her she was the sweetest loving but very shy child I had ever had the pleasure of meeting...so much like Sasuke. But just like him the events of her family turned her into what she is today...a shinobi with great potential to be a highly valued shinobi but is wasting it on her thirst for revenge " Kakashi understood what the man was saying as he had witnessed that look in both the young ninja's eyes._

"_She didn't regain consciousness for two days after the events and for a few weeks after that she hid herself in her parent's home not wanting to be around anyone let alone talk to anyone, so I had Itachi Uchiha look into her mind to find out what had happened" he turned back around to face Kakashi._

"_He said her mind was full of chaos pain and fear that it would take him a while to decipher what happened...as it happened it took him three days to do it and when he came to report his findings...Kakashi I have never in all my life seen someone so shaken up even after a battle" Kakashi didn't make a sound but the look on his face told the greying man all he needed to know._

"_Yes he was very shaken up from that and you are wondering why he in turn did virtually the same thing to his own clan two years later" Kakashi slightly nodded his head "We still don't know why he did what he did, the same as why Noki did it as well...but I'm sure the truth will be revealed to us one day"_

"_When I was finally able to get the boy to tell me what he found he said that there were two of them...as you know one was her cousin Noki Haruno" Kakashi scowled 'What a bastard, to do that and leave a six year old child on her own' "And the other Itachi couldn't identify...something was blocking him from the identity of the other" Kakashi nodded his understanding and Sarutobi continued._

"_The child heard her cousins being slaughtered while she hid in a closet, and when she got outside she saw her father being stabbed. Her mother was being held by the unknown person, Itachi said at that moment in her mind it became very difficult to look into it. He was pushed out of her head three times by an unknown force before he was able to see what happened next, he said it was like something was protecting her mind from the memory"_

"_He said he watched the scene as if he were there on the sidelines but was unable to understand what they were saying only murmurs. But as he dug through the child's mind one thing was very strong...the man holding her mother wanted her to choose between her mother and father"_

_Kakashi felt sick at that little bit of information "The bastard asked a child to choose between her mother and father...how sick could he be" he growled and bald his fists up until they were white._

"_No Kakashi...that isn't the part that distress's me, what does is that he told her to kill her father in order to save her mother"_

_Kakashi was unable to say anything as he looked at the old man with a wide eye._

_Kakashi had to let this sink in before he could speak "What did Noki do?...she didn't...do it...did she?"_

_Sarutobi shook his head "No she couldn't choose, Itachi said that part of her memory had the most conflict. And as for Noki he stood by with a smirk according to Itachi's report"_

"_After that the pair left with Aki Haruno, leaving Sakura with her dying father and that is when they were found...but you need to know Kakashi" Sarutobi said looking at the man "The Haruno clan was the wielder of the famed tomokugan" a gasp._

"_I had thought it was a myth...a bed time story my father told me"_

"_It is in fact a reality and it was found later after going through the Haruno records that every Haruno clan member had it...but none as powerful as the tomokugan of Saburo Haruno who defeated Madara Uchiha many years ago...that is until that day"_

"_Noki" Kakashi said with a sigh, Sarutobi shook his head "No Sakura" Kakashi looked at him with wide eyes "When we found her she was protected with a shield of wind surrounding her father and herself, Itachi had approached them and was thrown backwards and the shield was then joined by lightning" he explained._

"_It was at least three hours after the interaction that we were able to get the child away from her father but only because she had drained her chakra...if I hadn't been there to see it I would have been very sceptical of the thought of a six year old being able to keep ANBU back for three hours as well"_

_Kakashi sat in silence again letting the information sink in before a question popped up "Were you able to find Aki?"_

_A sad look appeared on the Hokage's face "Yes we did...she was found three days later not even a mile away from the village" Kakashi knew the answer but he had to ask "What was her condition._

_Sarutobi looked to him with fierce eyes "What I am about to tell you must never leave this room and especially not to be told to Sakura under any circumstances understood?"_

_Kakashi nodded._

"_As you may already know she was found deceased but what no one else knows is that she had been tortured and raped countless time but that wasn't the cause of her death...when the ANBU team found her she had been cut around her abdomen and her organs were visible" Kakashi paled "She was also two and a half months pregnant when she was killed"_

"_Did Sakura know?"_

"_I believe she was told the night before...Shiro and Aki had come to me and asked permission for Aki to go on maternity leave that very day, and I granted it and asked how Sakura had taken the news and they told me that they were waiting for the right time to tell her. But I'm not sure if they got the chance to tell her" _

_Kakashi closed his eyes and sat back into the chair 'So if she knew about it she lost more than just her clan...she lost the sibling she will never get the chance to meet' he couldn't help but understand the anger the girl had inside of her...the same anger that is inside of his dark haired student._

_But something else bothered him "Why didn't she get taken into a home where she would be cared for?" he asked and Sarutobi gave a sad smile "She refused any help from everyone...Mikoto Uchiha was brought into my office" he chuckled "Well dragged in by Sasuke and said that her family had talked about it and because she was Sasuke's friend they offered her a home with them...but Sakura refused to accept it and withdrew herself further from interaction with people and trained every hour and day she could"_

_Kakashi knew how much training she did because he often saw her heading to a training ground in the early hours alone, sometimes he would tag along without her knowledge to make sure she was safe and to take her home when she passed out from exhaustion. _

"_Those two have a loving caring nature inside them that needs to come back and all of you need each other to get it back for them" was the last words Sarutobi said before Kakashi left the Hokage tower to decide what he could do tomorrow to show them he was there for them._

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

"Kakashi sir" a ninja said as he and another ninja jumped down to the front of him "We checked the area and couldn't find any sign of an enemy in the perimeter" Kakashi nodded his head in understanding. The ninja looked to the girl in his arms with sad eyes before he and the other one disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Okay come on Sakura we need to go back to the others and work out what we are going to do now" Sakura pulled away from the man and started walking back to the others silently cursing herself for allowing her emotions to show and at how stupid she was in falling for the trap.

As Kakashi and Sakura made their way back to the training ground, meeting Naruto and Sasuke on the way. They didn't see the figure sitting in the trees "Soon my little cherry blossom...soon" Madara said as he disappeared into nothingness.

When they reached the training ground the three sat at the posts and Kakashi looked at each one as he or she sat silently knowing that they had failed and would be sent back to the academy, Naruto looking at Sakura every now and then with a worried look crossing his face. Even Sasuke was glancing at her but without the worry, on the inside Kakashi knew he was also worried.

"Okay so I guess you guys know you failed at getting the bell...right" there was three nods as his answer "Well instead of sending you guys back to the academy" the three genin looked at him with hope in their eyes "I don't think you should even be ninja in the first place"

The looks on the kid's faces went slowly from shock all the way past the emotions to fury "WHAT!" Naruto screeched "Y...you can't do that!" his fists clenched into fists.

"I won't let you get in my way of completing my goal" everyone turned to Sakura who had her head down and her bangs covering her face, "Even if that means" she lifted her head up to look at the man in front of her.

Kakashi gasped at the sight, he had wanted to see what it looked like but he never would have thought he would get the chance in his lifetime but there it was...the tomokugan right in front of him and a thirteen year old girl was wielding it.

Naruto and Sasuke both backed away from Sakura as she crouched ready to attack.

"Even if that means I have to...well you get the idea" and she lunged for him with a kunai in hand.

Luckily for Kakashi that she couldn't activate the full tomokugan or he would have had a lot of trouble subduing the angered kunoichi, who found herself tied to the post not even a minute after she had attacked, "I won't let...you stop me!" she yelled as she struggled to get free of the wire keeping her in place.

Kakashi shook his head "You don't deserve to be a ninja...none of you do" Kakashi said looking sternly at all three "You think like babies and when it doesn't go your way you chuck a tantrum" Naruto lowered his head and Sasuke glared at Kakashi for a moment before he looked away, "None of you actually stopped and looked at the people around you...instead you went after the bell on your own"

Kakashi was angry now "Did any of you even stop to think what this test was about?" "What do you mean what the test was really about?" Naruto asked scratching the back of his head, Kakashi sighed "Think about it...why would we go through all of the trouble of putting on a team of three for?"

"Team work"

It was said in a whisper but it was heard, Sakura had her head hung in shame "It was about team work" she said raising her head to reveal her normal emerald green eyes that held all the emotions from shame, fear hatred, abandonment and even anger in them as she looked at Kakashi.

"Exactly it was about you three working as a team but you couldn't look past your hatred" he said looking from Sasuke to Sakura "To your solidarity" he said looking to Naruto.

Naruto clenched his fists again and anger bubbled up in him "You expect us to instantly work as a team when all we have ever known is ourselves" he growled "You have no idea what I...or any of us have been through and lost" he said motioning to the other's. Kakashi was tempted to set him straight there and then but from the looks on Sakura and Sasuke's faces he was having an effect on them.

"All I have ever had was myself to trust and not one single villager was there for me except for Iruka-sensei, I never had the chance to have a real family or friends...and you expect me to forget what I have learned and be able to lean on others in an instant" Kakashi was impressed at the speech "And when I get it wrong you punish me and want to take my dream away...how does that teach me to depend on and trust others, believe it!"

Aaaand impressed feeling gone.

"You know that would have sounded more profound if you left the 'believe it' out" Kakashi said.

"He is right how can I trust someone when the one person I trusted the most in the world took everyone away from me" Sasuke said before looking to Sakura who stood there silent.

Kakashi waited a moment for her to speak and when she didn't he spoke "When you are a ninja you have to deal with loss...that's a fact of life and no-one can change that...and you depend on your team-mates and work together no matter what your past has been like" he said moving over to a large grey stone with plaques on it.

"A team depends on team work and trust amongst the team for a successful mission...when a comrade only thinks of themselves, the mission is jeopardised and can fail and that is when lives are lost" He knew this would hurt the girl with a tough strong exterior but fragile crumbling interior but he had to show them that death was a part of ninja life.

"You see this stone?" he asked referring to the stone he stood beside, there was two nods and a head turning away. "All the names engraved on it are considered heroes in our village" his voice held a sombre tone as he spoke "They are all KIA"

It was a few moments before anyone spoke "KIA is that some sort of ninja thing like ANBU...oh oh I want to be in KIA, I'm gunna have my name on that stone and be a hero as well" Naruto said with a big grin as he bounced around from one foot to the other. Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes while shaking his head, Sakura glared at him_ 'He is such a fool, he doesn't get the meaning behind it' _"Idiot" she said, just as Sasuke wacked him on the head.

"OW! What was that for teme!"

"Naruto these people who are KIA are all dead" Kakashi said as he turned to look at the boy "They were all killed in action hence the KIA"

"Oh" was all that came from the boy as the atmosphere became silent "This is a memorial stone...some of my closest friends are on this stone" Kakashi said looking back to the stone. Five names called to him.

**Saburo Haruno**

**Shiro Haruno**

**Aki Haruno**

**Minato Namikaze**

**Obito Uchiha**

The three Haruno's memory was honoured with their names being put on it along with other clan member's. the fourth one was the fourth Hokage who gave his own life when the village had been attacked by the kyuubi thirteen years ago, Naruto didn't know it but he held a special bond to the fourth and he looked a lot like him as well.

The last name was the most painful to remember and he was his team-mate and friend that taught him a lesson about what a team-mate and friend should do to help his comrades when they were in danger.

'I'm sorry...I couldn't keep my promise'

The funny thing about it was Kakashi had interactions with all of his student's families, Obito Uchiha was his team-mate and became a best friend and rival all in one. Minato Namikaze was his sensei and encouraged him to do his best, and Saburo Haruno and his father Sakumo had been team-mates and best friends up until his father committed suicide.

The four stood in silence for a moment, before Kakashi turned around. "Alright I'll give you another chance" he said releasing Sakura from the wire, Naruto was so happy and relieved that they could do it again that he was almost crying "Eat first but Naruto is not to eat"

Happy moment over

"WHAT!"

'I really have to gag this kid' Kakashi thought as he took his finger out of his ear again. "Naruto while the other two were off doing what...they...were doing, you were the only one to think of your stomach and eat everyone's lunches...which is why you fell into yet another trap"

Naruto laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head when he got two glares from the others "Hehe...I...it's not like that...I was getting it for you guys too"

"Sure"

"Yeah right"

Okay so they didn't believe him...well fine then '_Okay so maybe I wasn't going to bring them any but...I thought about it' _Naruto thought as he pouted and crossed his arms against his chest "I don't need anything to eat any way I can go a whole d..." he was interrupted by a loud gurgling sound. As the three looked at him with raised eye-brows and looks that said '_Yeah right'_ his face turned beat red.

"Anyhow" Kakashi said turning to Sakura and Sasuke "If either of you break the rules...all of you instantly fail and you won't get another chance at being ninja...understood" Kakashi said ignoring the gurgle of protest, he would have laughed at the boy if it hadn't been for all his training in ANBU.

After two nods Kakashi disappeared...or so they thought, he was actually sitting in a tree not far from them watching '_let's see what they do now_'

Sasuke and Sakura opened their bento boxes and began eating while Naruto watched. He tried hard not to drool but the smell and look of the food were causing his taste-buds to freak out in his mouth '_It looks and smells so goooood_' he didn't know how much longer he could take it for '_No! Get a hold of yourself Naruto_' he scolded '_I can do this...i am strong and food won't stop me. Believe it!_'

He turned his head away and closed his eyes ignoring the protests his stomach was making in order to be fed. The smell of the bento boxes came closer _'Oh come on already, it's not enough that I am starving but the smell has to tor...wait a minute_' his eyes shot open to find the two bento boxes almost shoved into his face.

He fell back in shock, before looking at his team-mates who were holding the food out to him "Here" Sasuke said shoving the food into his lap, Sakura doing the same. "B...but you guys...you can't...I can't...and won't let you get into trouble"Sasuke sighed "Just eat it_" _he said in an annoyed tone.

"In order for us to get the bells we have to_ all_ be at full power as a team" Sakura said as she put her hands behind her to lean on and stretched her legs out in front of her. Naruto had tears welling up in his eyes "B..." he didn't get a chance to finish before Sasuke cut him off.

"She's right dobe we are a team and if one of us is weakened then that will affect the outcome of our task...and who could eat with all the noise"

"Maybe it's time to start learning to relay on others" Sakura said in a whisper looking away from the boys, both looked at her with shock. That was not something they would have guessed would come from the girl sitting in front of them...sure maybe in another life where she still had her family and was a happy cheery girl but not the Sakura who was here now.

Kakashi heard what they had said and he felt an emotion close to pride well up inside him as they made their choice '_I guess you were right lord Hokage...they do need each other_'

"Th...thanks guys" Naruto said as he picked up the chop-sticks "Hn" and "Whatever" were the answers he got from the two that would soon become the most important people in his life. He was about to put the food in his mouth when a kunai came flying straight for him and knocked the chop-sticks and food out of his hand, than the sky turned dark and menacing.

"YOU!" Kakashi appeared in a cloud of black smoke "You broke the rules"

All three genin got to their feet Naruto backed away a little in fear while the other two stood their ground, "Yes we broke the rules, but we are a team" Sasuke said "Yeah, yeah we are a team and that's why they gave their food to me" Naruto stepped forward back into line to join his team-mates.

"We won't do anything to jeopardise the strength of the team so...if that means breaking the rules then so be it" Sakura said glaring at Kakashi.

Kakashi looked at them with the most threatening look he could muster and he could tell it was working on at least one of them "Is that so...then you leave me no choice but to..." they tensed at what they knew was coming, the silence beginning to torture them to no end before Kakashi spoke again "Pass you"

"Even if you kick us out of the program I will make my wait...what?" Naruto looked as confused as the other's.

"What do you mean we pass, I thought you..." Kakashi cut Sakura off "You are the only team to not fall into my trap and do as I said" he smiled at them as the sky turned back to normal "The other teams couldn't think for themselves and fell straight into the trap and their team was weakened and ultimately failed" Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto let the relief wash over them as Kakashi spoke.

"It's true that a ninja that breaks the rules is considered scum" he said remembering the way his father had been treated after failing a mission because he broke the rules to safe his comrades "But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum...a good friend of mine taught me that the life of your friends and comrades are more important than a mission...before he died sacrificing himself to save the life of our team-mate and myself" he looked to the memorial stone.

"Okay this test is now over" Kakashi said lightening the mood "Tomorrow we have our first mission...as team 7"

* * *

Over the next few weeks and months team 7 grew and a powerful bond was formed between the four members. They became to understand they needed each other when they had to do a simple escort mission to the land of waves with the bridge builder Tazuna who had lied to them telling them that he was only worried about bandits and robbers on the way, but in actual fact he had a assassination nin hired by a man...well half a man name Gato who controlled the village with fear to kill him to stop the completion of the bridge.

They had to fight Zabuza Momochi or Zabuza of the bloody mist as he was known to be called, and his team-mate Haku. It had been a successful mission in many ways but also a failure, they were able to protect the bridge builder and his family and the bridge was complete and named 'The Great Naruto Bridge' of course Naruto got a kick out of that.

Naruto was able to help Tazuna's grandson Inari who had so much anger towards them and told them that the village didn't need any of their help, when they didn't listen he said to Naruto that he had no idea what it was like to be alone and that he should stop playing the hero because hero's didn't exist. After Tazuna explained them what had happened to Kaiza, the hero of the village and father figure to Inari, Naruto went out of his way to show Inari that heroes did in fact exist and that Inari himself was a hero. This caused Inari to rally the villagers and they helped defend their home against Gato.

Team seven had finally became a team and defended and helped each other when they were needed, Kakashi's kids created a special bond between them when they had thought they lost Sasuke. Zabuza of the bloody mist had been stopped but his life ended shortly after turning on Gato and his hench-men, but the young boy Haku had lost his life after saving Zabuza from Kakashi's chidori attack.

At first Zabuza didn't care that Haku had given his life to save him calling him a tool, but once again Naruto stepped in and turned him around and Zabuza died next to the most important person to him.

The most positive outcome of the mission was that Sasuke activated his sharingan but it wasn't the full version, but because he had to fight Zabuza Kakashi revealed that he too had the sharingan hidden under his headband and he was able to help Sasuke control his. Sakura also learned to control lightning with the help of Kakashi on the way home.

He was very careful when she was using both of her elements at the same time...he did not want to have another experience like that again...quite shocking.

After they returned to the village, the bond grew into a family like bond where Kakashi thought of the three student's as his student's and Naruto and Sasuke had become best friend and like brothers...Sasuke wouldn't admit that out loud though...they also shared a rivalry that pushed each other to be the best out of the two forcing them to greatly improve their skills.

It reminded Kakashi of the relationship he had with Obito.

Sakura and Sasuke still had their rivalry and they often were found training together and doing a lot of things together, it was almost as if they had regained the friendship that was lost all those years ago. But if you looked closely they didn't completely let their inner feelings out...Kakashi felt that they were still too scared to get too close to someone in case they were taken away from them.

Sakura and Naruto's relationship had greatly improved, she no longer yelled and glared at him for everything he did...sure she still got mad at him but not as intensely. Kakashi at one stage had actually thought Naruto was in love with Sakura and had confronted him about it but the boy said "Ewww, Kakashi-sensei Sakura is like my sister...that would be so gross. I love her but not like that...ewwwww"

Kakashi doubted him, maybe at first he might have had a crush on her but as he watched he could see the brotherly love Naruto showed for her.

They were all very protective of each other and would defend the others against anyone who offended them, Kakashi could remember having to defend his two troubled teens a few days ago in front of the Hokage and other jounin senseis.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

"_As you all know the chuunin exams are being held in Konoha this year" the Hokage said to all the genin sensei's "I have called all of you here to nominated of your teams who you think is ready to take the chuunin exam"_

_The atmosphere became tense as Sarutobi looked to a scroll in front of him "Right, first Kurenai?" a tall woman with black hair that reached to her mid back and red eyes stepped forward she bowed her head to him before she spoke "I Kurenai Yuuhi captain of team 8 nominate Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Hinata Hyuuga for the chuunin exams" Sarutobi nodded his head and wrote it down._

"_Manami"_

_A woman with long ocean blue coloured hair and black eyes stepped forward she did the same as Kurenai and bowed before the Hokage before she spoke 'I Manami Manjidani captain of team four do not nominate any of my students...they aren't ready to be chuunin yet" she stepped back with a downcast look on her face. "Okay I understand" Sarutobi said as he wrote it down._

"_Asuma...I told you to not smoke in here!"_

_A man with black spiky hair and a black beard and dark brown eyes stepped forward in a calm manner with his hand in his pocket and a smoke in his mouth accompanying a smirk. "I Asuma Sarutobi" there was a few gasps at the last name.(obviously some people still hadn't caught up to the news that Hiruzen Sarutobi the third Hokage had children, hope they know he has a grandson from his other son) "captain of team 10 nominate all of my students" he said and stepped back still not taking the smoke out of his mouth._

_Sarutobi shook his head and let a slight smile mar his face 'That's what I get for having a cool collected son'_

"_Kakashi"_

_Kakashi stepped forward in the same manner as Asuma "I Kakashi Hatake of team 7 nominate Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki for the chuunin exam" he stepped back to join the other jounin as the murmurs and whispers began._

_Sarutobi sat there for a moment contemplating what had just happened before he looked at the three in front of him, not one of them had ever had a genin team before, well one did but they never got past the bell test. And here they are nominating all of their students for the chuunin exam, which had also never happened._

"_Are you sure with your decisions?" he asked and they all nodded their heads._

"_WAIT!"_

_Everyone turned their heads to Iruka who was making his way to the front of the group "Lord Hokage sir I don't think any of them are ready for the chuunin exams" he turned to the three jounin who were glaring at him "I know you may think they are ready but they are only thirteen and most genin get picked for the chuunin exams a year or two after they graduate from the academy"_

_He turned back to the Hokage "Sir I know these kids and they are not ready...especially Sakura and Sasuke"_

"_What do you mean by Sasuke and Sakura aren't ready?" Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow. Iruka turned to him "They have both been through some strong emotional things and I don't think that their minds are ready for such a challenge like the chuunin exams"_

_Kakashi could feel the anger building up inside of him but he kept it under control "Are you saying that they are...mentally unstable because they have been through what most thirteen year olds couldn't possibly understand"_

_Iruka was about to say something but Kakashi cut him off "You may know those kids from the academy, but they are not the children you taught anymore. They are a lot stronger physically and 'mentally' than what you give them credit for, and as their sensei I say they are ready especially Sasuke and Sakura"_

_Iruka was stunned into silence as he looked at Kakashi 'take that you know it all' Kakashi thought with a smirk 'don't even think about degrading my kids again'_

"_Very well it is decided" Sarutobi said earning everyone's attention "The nine rookies will participate in the chuunin exams"_

_He dismissed everyone but Sarutobi asked for Kakashi to stay behind, when the other's had gone he looked at Kakashi with the proudest look he could muster and knew he made the right choice "I told you that you needed each other" Kakashi smirked at him "Those three are amazing and I can tell you now that they will be the best team the ninja world has seen"_

_Sarutobi chuckled "I hope your theory come true Kakashi" Kakashi gave a nod of his head and left the room not hearing Sarutobi's next words._

"_And I hope you made the right choice in sending them into the firing line"_

**FLASHBACK END**

* * *

They had all passed the theory test...even Naruto who didn't even answer a question was passed, and today they were going into the forest of death. Kakashi was nothing but calm collected and encouraging them to do their best on the outside but on the inside he was shaking in his boots and falling to pieces, especially after they had a run in with the three genin from sand. The youngest one with the red hair and aqua green eyes was who was concerning him the most.

He knew they could hold their own in a confrontation but something about the boy just didn't feel right to him.

"Alright you maggots, get ready to enter..." a woman with deep purple almost black hair that was in a short pony-tail that spiked up at the back looked at all the genin with a mischievous glean in her charcoal eyes...or was that amusement at what they were going to face in the forest of death.

She was known as Anko and she loved to see people squirm especially in scary situations like the one all the genin where about to enter. '_You lot have no idea what you are getting into...this is going to be...entertaining_' she raised flag because Ibiki didn't trust her with anything else with them.

"remember this a survival test and anything goes in order to get the scroll you need...try not to kill each other" and as soon as she waved the flag, the gates where the teams were waiting opened and they raced in to start the test that would take course over five days and the ones that didn't get a heaven scroll and an earth scroll would fail and the third part would start.

"Let the screaming begin" Anko said with a sadistic look on her face and as if reading her mind a scream was heard deep in the forest.

**I was going to end it there but na...please continue lol**

**In the Forest of Death**

"Come on guys, we haven't seen anyone for ages...I'm starving" Naruto whined "It'll only take a few minutes...pleeeeaaassse" he begged, Sasuke shook his head and kept going and Sakura turned towards him with an unamused face "Naruto if you're hungry than eat a bar or something...we are not stopping for you to boil water for your ramen and that's final"

She jumped ahead of the boys to keep a look out with her tomokugan for other genin. Naruto stayed a little behind as he followed them pouting _'All I want is to eat my ramen I brought with me' _he was too busy pouting over his ramen that he didn't see the three ninja behind him.

Sasuke was up front close behind Sakura when she froze causing Sasuke to almost collide with her. "What's wr..." he got cut off when she spun around and headed back to where Naruto was, "That idiot isn't looking for enemies and is being surrounded" was what he heard as she passed him.

Sakura raced towards Naruto getting her weapons ready to stop the immanent attack, she could hear Sasuke coming up beside her, before he passed her but they wouldn't get there in time "Naruto, LOOK OUT!" she yelled just as one of the enemy released his kunai and it headed straight for his head.

Naruto heard Sakura's scream and as he moved his head to look at them a kunai came whizzing past and just missed his face but he was cut on the cheek in the process. Naruto fell onto his backside in shock at what had just happened "Get up dobe" Sasuke appeared in front of him as a rain ninja jumped out of the forest and lunged for the blonde knucklehead.

Sasuke blocked the attack with his kunai and the pair were locked together by their weapons and the force they were using on them. Another ninja came from the bushes and attacked Naruto who jumped back and threw a kunai at the ninja who blocked it.

Another rain ninja the same as the one he was fighting came up behind Naruto and threw a kunai at him, Sakura jumped in after defeating a ninja of her own which turned out to be a clone "They're clones" she said as three more materialised in front of them,

Sasuke had gotten rid of the one he was fighting and now found himself in a triangle with the other's, back to back as they were outnumbered five to one "Give us the scroll and we will let you go" one of them said through a funky looking mouth piece that they all had.

Sasuke 'hn-ed', Sakura scoffed, and Naruto said "Like hell we will...if you want it come get it" he got ready to call his most powerful jutsu into action

The fifteen or so rain ninja looked at each other and shrugged before looking back at team 7 "So be it" and they all lunged.

Sasuke blocked a kunai with his arm and threw a punch at the rain ninja who knocked his hand away with the hand not holding the kunai, thus leaving his stomach wide open for a kick to the stomach which sent the ninja back into a tree and on impact he turned to water. "Dammit we need to find the real ones" he said as another clone replaced the one he has just destroyed.

Sakura kicked and punched anything that got in her way, two clones went flying past Naruto almost knocking him over "HEY! Watch it Sakura...stop sending em my...way!" he grunted as a clone kicked him in the stomach but he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"This would go a lot easier if you would just forfeit your scroll and lives to us" a voice said from in the shadows of the forest distorted the same way as the others.

"Somehow I don't think so" Sasuke said his voice was full or annoyance and anger "Sakura" he called the girl looked towards him, "Let's finish this...Naruto" said girl nodded her head knowing what he meant. Naruto jumped over to Sasuke and Sasuke whispered something to him and he nodded his understanding before jumping off into the trees.

Sasuke and Sakura came together in the middle of the group while Naruto's shadow clones kept the other clones together "Okay let's do it" Sakura said when she felt Sasuke's back to hers, the rain ninja stopped what they were doing and looked at the pair in the middle. Sakura crouched down and Sasuke stood tall.

They began to do hand signs

"Fire style fireball jutsu!"

"Water style water jet!"

From their mouths came a steady stream of fire from Sasuke and a steady pressurised stream of water from Sakura' pair moved in a circle around each other, Sakura to the right and Sasuke to the left. The rain ninja that didn't get hit by the fire jutsu got pulverised by the water jet.

After they cancelled their jutsu's nothing was left of the rain ninja clones, "Naruto, did you find them!" Sasuke called into the forest. A moment later Naruto came into the opening with a wide grin on his face "No they ran...but that was...AWESOME!"

Sasuke and Sakura smirked at him "Yeah it was wasn't it" Sakura said with a chuckle, "Come on I think we deserve a break" she said walking off into the forest away from the area. Naruto and Sasuke followed "Aren't you glad Kakashi-sensei thought of that and taught you...I wish I could do that" Naruto said excitedly as he walked along side Sasuke.

As they walked into the forest a shadowed figure walked out of the other side followed by the three rain ninja that had attacked them. "Very interesting" the figure said in a creepy tone "Those two will make a very powerful team" he turned and started to walk away glancing in the direction the three went "They will make a powerful addition to my plans"he said, his tongue sliding out and over his lips before crawling back to the black pit from whence it came.

"I could go another three bowls of ramen" Naruto said as he pat his stomach, putting the now empty container down next to the other five. "I'm sure you could but...You just ate two days worth of food!" Sakura yelled at him. Naruto paled and Sasuke sweat-dropped "S...sorry Sakura I...I didn't mean to"

The adrenaline from the fight was still running through her body and she wanted to pound something...and Naruto looked pretty good right about now. "Sakura you can pound the dobe when we get the heaven scroll and finish this test" Sasuke said as he stood and put out the fire.

"Fine"

Naruto normally didn't like how Sasuke was always wanting to get going but today he was very thankful of that...and the fact that Sakura decided to listen to him today because she has a mean left hook.

Sasuke and Sakura started to walk away when Naruto was grabbing his stuff "Hey guys wait up!" he threw his pack and went to run to catch up to them but when he looked up Sasuke and Sakura were...running back to him.

"Hey what's..." he got cut off.

"GIANT!"

"SNAKE!"

Naruto dropped his pack and his hands fell to his side "Come on already...what's next a giant toad" Both of his team-mates ran past him and sure enough a humongous grey snake was close behind them.

"Don't just stand there you idiot!" Sasuke yelled.

"RUN!" Sakura screamed right before they disappeared into the forest, but what they didn't know was that Naruto wasn't following them. He ran the opposite way and the snake was now following him away from the others.

**~O~**

They couldn't feel the snake following them anymore so Sasuke and Sakura stopped to catch their breaths "I don't know why we didn't just fight it back there" Sakura said as she sat on the ground. Sasuke looked at her with a raised eyebrow "Do you not remember our kunai and shuriken bouncing off its skin?"

"..."

"Thought not"

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms and looked away from the smirking boy "Whatever" she mumbled. Sasuke looked around the small open area that they were in and something was missing, he couldn't put a finger on it but it was too quiet and he didn't like it.

"Hey, where's Naruto?"

"Shh" he placed a finger over his lips, there weren't even any bird's calling '_What's going on...a forest shouldn't be this quiet_' he activated his sharingan to see if there was anything that wasn't supposed to be there but...nothing.

Sakura stood up and went to Sasuke's side she too could feel that something was off about the forest, so she activated her blood-line and looked around as well.

They were both silent for a moment when "It's a genjutsu" they both said at the same time. They were about to release the jutsu but someone started to laugh. "Ah my dear children I have been waiting to meet you both for a very long time...oh and it's not a genjutsu" a slimy voice said from the shadows, Sasuke and Sakura stiffened at the voice. "What do you want!"

A chuckle was Sakura's answer before a man with long black hair reaching to his mid back and covering half of his face, his yellow eyes penetrating into their very souls as he looked at them. But what made him all the more foreboding was the slits as pupils making his eyes look like they belonged to a snake and his pale skin that looked like death was leaking from him stepped out of the foliage with a dangerous aura circling him.

Sasuke unconsciously stepped in front of Sakura with his kunai raised ready to strike if need be, Sakura pulled shuriken out and was ready to throw them.

"What do you want?" Sasuke growled repeating Sakura's unanswered question, the man chuckled again "Why to see the last two members of the Haruno and Uchiha clan's." Sasuke and Sakura glared at him "I was wondering who was stronger, you and your team-mate" He said motioning to Sasuke "Or...your brother and cousin?"

That did it, almost instantly Sasuke and Sakura were racing towards him with their kekkei genkai activated and ready to kill, the man's tongue came out and licked his lips with a smirk that just sang danger. It was no mistaking that this man was very dangerous and he was known throughout the ninja world as one of the legendary three sannin and an s-class missing nin...but these two obviously weren't paying attention in the academy, or they would have known that standing in front of them waiting for the attack was none other than Orochimaru. One of Konoha's sannin turned rogue, ex-team member to the Akatsuki and a man who experimented on and tortured human being for power...and boredom and finally leader of the hidden sound.

Sasuke was the first to reach him lashing out with his kunai, but Orochimaru was too fast for him and disappeared, Sasuke looked around with his sharingan to find him. '_There you are_' he spotted him in the trees, Sasuke moved to follow him unaware of the trap that was being set.

**~O~**

Sakura stopped her advances when Sasuke went for the kill only to have the slimy bastard get away, she looked around to where he could have gone and when she found him...in the opposite direction to where Sasuke was heading.

Sakura jumped in front of Orochimaru and he had a pleased slimy smile on his face "Ah Sakura Haruno...you look just like your mother...but your eyes...they are like your father and grandfather" Sakura growled and lunged for him releasing her shuriken and pulling kunai out to stab him.

Orochimaru dodged all of the shuriken and kunai swipes as he continued to taunt her "But from the looks of it you and your cousin didn't inherit the harmonious peaceful side of your clan" he could see the sparks flying in her eyes and it excited him more.

"YOU BASTARD!" Sakura screeched, her power increased as another line formed in her eyes and began the wild dance with the other three.

'_Interesting...it seems the more angry she gets the more control over the tomokugan she has'_ Orochimaru thought to himself.

Sakura jumped back and started doing hand signs "Water style lightning wave!" a giant sparking wave rose from the ground and raced towards Orochimaru at an unavoidable pace.

The water was too high for him to jump over and it was coming at him too fast to avoid but he was impressed at the power the girl already held _'Yes she will make a very powerful addition_' he braced himself for the attack, and when it hit he could feel nothing but a blinding hot pain as he was both being drowned and electrocuted.

Sakura stood back and panted as she watched the snake die slowly from her jutsu, she had used a lot of her chakra for that attack and ended up falling to one knee as exhaustion started to set in _'I...wonder h..how Sasuke's doing'_

_**~O~**_

Sasuke caught up to the man and had engaged him in a taijutsu fight after his ninjutsu didn't work, one plus from it was he was able to go from the first stage of his sharingan to the second and his sight had become better.

He managed to kick Orochimaru in the stomach and the man went flying into the ground, Sasuke landed on the ground not far from when he sent the man flying and waited for the dust to clear. There was no movement as the dust started to settle, Sasuke moved over to the hole in the ground to finish off the man.

A piercing scream was heard from the direction where Sakura was in and Sasuke whirled around and headed back to her as fast as he could not even noticing the man that stood up chuckling at the foolish boy.

Sasuke jumped down beside a kneeling and panting Sakura and looked to where he could see a body laying on the ground burnt and still smoking, he was about to speak when Sakura spoke first "I..it's not h..him" she said as she panted. Sasuke helped her to her feet and placed his arm around her waist and held her arm around his neck taking most of the weight of her exhausted body off her feet.

"Th...thanks" she whispered as he moved them away from the charred body "Hn" was her answer. He made his way over to a tree and gently set her down "I'll be fine in a few minutes" Sasuke sat down beside her and kept an eye out while they rested.

It was a few moments before the silence was broken "What happened?" Sasuke asked looking to the pinkette, Sakura glanced at him and gave in a small sad smile before she turned away "He was talking about my clan as if he knew them" She could feel the tears building in her eyes and she closed her eyes to keep them back "Then he mentioned that creature and I..." she opened her eyes and looked to the sky.

"You lost it...right"

Sakura locked eyes with Sasuke and she could see the same emotions in his eyes "Yeah" she whispered as she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them and placed her head on top. Sasuke watched her for a moment before he placed his hand on her shoulder "We will find them and make all pay for what they did to us"

Sakura gasped and looked at him with wide eyes, Sasuke looked at her with calm yet fierce determined eyes "I promise we will make them pay if it's the last thing I do" a single tear escaped Sakura's eye as he said that "You and I are the same and we share a bond that no-one will ever understand"

Sakura smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck "Thank you Sasuke" the said boy was in shock at the reaction for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back "I promise" he whispered again.

"Sorry to interrupt a very touching moment but...we have some unfinished business to attend to" came the slimy voice of Orochimaru. Sasuke and Sakura shot to their feet and weapons in front of them in a defensive stance as they watched the man before them.

"I will make this quick so..." he looked up and they followed his line of sight to see a huge snake coiled around the tree they were backed against. They tried to get away from it when it dropped down but they weren't fast enough and now found themselves pinned against the tree with the snake's body keeping them moving an inch to even summon a jutsu to get them out of there.

In the next instant Orochimaru's head split into two and they both darted for Sakura and Sasuke latching onto their necks and biting into them, both teens screamed at the pain that was inflicted on them by the bite as he injected something into their bodies.

"Hey snake face, get your ugly face off my team-mates!"

* * *

**Okay I'm going to be mean and leave it there lol, we really hope you guys like this chapter and don't find it boring.**

**I should clear up a few things that may confuse you guys.**

**First is when Kakashi was remembering the conversation with Sarutobi and Sarutobi was telling him about the Haruno clan and he couldn't believe that the tomokugan was real. Well that is because the Haruno's rarely used their kekkei genkai except for life and death situations and not many people have seen it and for the fact that in the first chapter Sarutobi said something like 'We have lost a great number of jounin and ANBU'.**

**Well a majority of the clan was in the ANBU so the one's that used the blood-line around other's had their identity a secret...Shhh -.- okay I'm a dope lol**

**Second...also when they were talking about the clan and Sarutobi said that it was revealed that every clan member had the tomokugan. Again the Haruno clan was a peaceful clan that didn't use their power and so not many of them were found to have the tomokugan in the eyes of the village but the clan kept records of the clan's powers and abilities that was found after the massacre.**

**Okay the water jet thing I don't know if they can actually do it but we made Sakura have the ability same goes for the lightning wave jutsu.**

**Next would be the body Sakura over cooked, if you watch the Shippuuden episodes you'll remember the fight with Itachi and team 7 and Kisame with team Gai. Well it's the same as that cos we were thinking Oro was in the Akatsuki and he may have learned that jutsu as well...if not he knows it now lol**

**I hope that answered some of the questions you guys might have had.**

**And I hope that we did an okay job on the fight scenes...that's not our best area T_T I want a good fight scene lol**

**Okay down to business**

**lol I still can't believe I am reading both yours and WhatChuuKnowBoutMe's stories and she's your beta lol very small world, it's very true Sasuke is still a jack-ass but he will learn lol. Haru is still jumping up and down over your review lol and we thank you very much (Blush) and as for inner she will be making an appearance in the next chapter and she plays a big role in later chapters and I hope I'm doing a good job on the bonds that they have between them.**

**WhatChuuKnowBoutMe thank you so much for reviewing I am so happy that you are enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying yours lol, we thought we'd add my own spin to Sakura's family considering that they are not even talked about much in the anime and that's how I pictured them going off of Sakura's personality in the anime. And you were right about the genjutsu lol, and as for your idea thank you very much Haru has been inspired by it and is adding something like that in the next chapter so you'll have to read to find out lol.**

**animefreaklizzy Haru and I are glad you're enjoying the story and we hope you enjoy this instalment**

**cowgirl137 here you go another chapter and yep Madara is behind the Haruno massacre...but who else...na only kidding he's the only one and yeah Madara is a freak but the freaky ones are cool lol **

**caga2007 Thank you very much and there will be more Madara creepiness in later chapters as well, and thanks for promising not to tell but Haru caught me lol so she's watching me like a hawk so no more secrets T_T**

**bittersweetmusicgirl thank you very much I...I mean we're glad you are enjoying If Not For You (glares at Haru) anyway we were actually thinking of changing the drama subject to suspense lol there's more suspense then drama at the moment**

**christiansrose so how did you like it, we didn't think to have Sakura get bitten as well but when you suggested it. It had our brains running on overdrive on how to incorporate it into the story and I hope you found it okay, throw all the idea's you think of at us...well Haru cos she deserves it lol and we'll see what we can do with them.**

**ellenloveforever I'm glad you liked the SasuSaku moment and I hope you really like this one cos Haruai won't tell me if it's good or not lol**

**Your Hoshi thank you a lot we're very happy that you love it and Sakura is only going to get stronger lol**

**Thank you everyone for reviewing, it means the world to Haruai and I and it's so fun to answer your reviews...it really is. And sorry if we've forgotten anything or anyone.**

**A question for you, how do you guys like the length of the chapters cos I tried and Haru tried to get the length down but they seem to be getting longer lol so do you prefer long or short chapters.**

**Any ideas you have that would make 'If Not For You' don't be shy and let us know and we'll try and incorporate them in.**

**As always any questions don't hesitate to ask and they shall be answered**

**Oh and before I forget Haruai has made a one-shot called 'Too Late To Love You' and is putting it up, but I have to warn you there will be a character death in it so if you don't like reading that stuff don't read it but I think it's pretty cool so yeah. **

**And we may take a bit to get the next chapter up cos I can't stop giving you guys long chapters and we kinda ran out of writing lol so yeah and my laptop's word and stuff is going to expire at the end of the month so we have to sort that out before we can do anything else. I'll try and get it posted before then if we finish but if not it shouldn't take too long after that...Don't kill me it's Haruai's she threatened it lol. So anyway...**

**Thank you for taking the time to read. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys Haruai here sasusaku-EienAi isn't here at the moment, I'll explain after you've read the new chapter. Anyway I have some news for you guys whether it's good or bad I'll leave up to you to decide. That will be at the end as well. **

**Alright I'll let you get to reading now cos it's a bit later than usual, hope you guys like it and don't find it too boring.**

**Disclaimer: Why do wonderful dreams only last for a moment, I still don't own Naruto!**

**Chapter 5**

"Hey snake face, get your ugly face off my team-mates!"

Naruto stood tall on the branches above the three with his hands on his hips and an angered look on his face as he glared at the slimy man that still had his teeth sunken into his friends and team-mates.

Orochimaru withdrew both of his heads with a cackle before they rejoined and became one head again, he looked to the two he had just bitten to see them seething in pain as three tomoes in a circle pattern appeared on Sasuke's shoulder, and a spiralling black vine circling around a pink cherry blossom formed just to the front of Sakura's shoulder.

"It is done...now I must wait to see which one survives the gift I have given them" Orochimaru said in a mumble as a smirk appeared on his face "But which one is strong enough?...the child from the peace loving clan...or...the child from the clan who strives for power" he muttered to himself completely forgetting about the blonde knuckleheaded ninja that was getting pissed at being ignored and the fact that the sick sleazy looking man just had his mouth...mouths on his two friends made him feel all queasy in the stomach.

"HEY!"

Naruto jumped down from the tree he was in and now found himself standing three feet away from the man "What did you do to them?" he growled as Orochimaru turned to look at the boy with a bored look, "I have helped them to achieve what they want most" Orochimaru said with sly smirk.

Naruto looked behind the man to see that his two team-mates were still bound to the tree by the snake he thought he had killed not long ago...obviously not.

Sasuke was as pale as if death had just knocked on his door and was attempting to take him back to the hell it came from, his eyes were shut tightly and his whole body was shaking in pain. From where Naruto was standing Sakura didn't look much better but she looked to be handling it better.

Naruto turned his furious eyes that were slowly changing from blue to red towards a smirking Orochimaru "What the...HELL DID YOU DO TO THEM!" he yelled and lunged for the man with his fist ready to wipe that smirk off his face along with his face altogether. "Ah I heard the Jinchuuriki of the kyuubi was on this team" Orochimaru chuckled as he dodged the punch the boy aimed for his face.

Naruto became more angered when he heard his two team-mates scream in pain before it went silent, a soft red glow appeared around Naruto and the marks on his face became darker and his pupils became slits in the sea of red as he once again charged at Orochimaru but this time faster.

'**Let me have control boy'** a gruff voice said from inside of Naruto's head.

'_Who are you?_' he asked the voice.

'**I am the nine-tails that resides within you'** it said.

'_Th...the nine-tails'_ he stuttered in his mind.

'**Yes, now let me have control of your body and I will avenge your friends'**

Naruto was unsure of what the nine-tails was saying, it felt like it was not to be trusted. Iruka had told him of the nine-tails attack thirteen years ago and he also told Naruto that the seal on his stomach was there to stop the beast from taking control of him and wreaking havoc on the world once more.

'_No_'

'**Foolish human...you will fail without me'**

'_I will not fail!'_

The voice laughed **'We shall see boy, we shall see'**

The red glow around Naruto's body decreased a little but didn't disappear as Naruto raced towards Orochimaru his hands were making hand signs while holding his kunai "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" about forty Naruto's appeared beside him and all forty one Naruto's made a bee line towards the bastard.

'_Interesting'_ Orochimaru thought before a malicious laugh left his mouth, in the next instant snakes shot out of his mouth and started attacking the Naruto's. After the clones had disappeared in puffs of smoke that had yet to dissipate. Naruto used the smoke to his advantage and attacked from above, he headed for the man kunai first.

Naruto was so close now that he could feel the victory looming, but when he was just in reach a pale white hand shot up and wrapped itself around the boy's neck. Naruto's hands shot up to the clammy hand and tried to get free but the grip was too tight. "You foolish little boy" Orochimaru snarled "You have no idea who I am"

Naruto glared at the man "I..I don't c..care who you...a..are" he struggled to say as the grip tightened around his neck "I'm g..go..ing to ki...kill you" Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh at the boy "Really now...I don't see how that would be possible"

Naruto glared at the man as his vision started to see black dots from lack of oxygen. _'I have to do something' _anger welled up in him again and he could hear the nine-tails laughing as it's chakra seeped out again Orochimaru noticed this and did hand signs on his free hand and it began to glow a purple colour "I don't think so" he said before plunging his glowing hand into Naruto's stomach where the seal for the nine-tails was and creating another seal around it strengthening it causing the chakra to be sucked back into Naruto's body.

Naruto screamed as loud as he could as his stomach felt like it was on fire.

**~O~**

As his fangs sunk into her skin she couldn't help it, Sakura let out a blood curdling scream. She could hear Sasuke in agony next to her as well but the pain was too great for her to even look at him. Then a voice was heard "Hey snake face, get your ugly face off my team-mates!" she would have laughed at him if she was too preoccupied trying to stay awake.

His fangs left her neck but the pain got greater, her body was uncontrollably shaking as the substance that he injected her with went through her body.

'**Sakura'** that voice...she had heard it before...who was it.

'**Sakura listen to me'** it felt so comforting to her. But she did as she was told and listened to the voice.

'**My child I can help you take the pain away for the moment'** it said

'_H..how' _Sakura managed to ask.

'**I can take some of the pain away from you and pass it onto me'**

Sakura didn't understand what the voice was saying.

'_I..it hurts so much'_

"AHHHHH!" A scream was heard but she hadn't realised that scream had come from her.

'**Sakura listen to me, I can help you but you need to concentrate..forget about the pain, and concentrate on me'**

'_I..I can't...it hurt's' _it felt like her body was going to explode with the pain, if only that stupid snake wasn't there she could curl up in a ball and wait for death to take the pain away.

'**Sakura! You have to do this or you will die and your family will never be avenged!' **the voice had a hasty stern tone about it that shocked Sakura. The thought of her family and the men that took them made it easy for her to do as inner said, she began to concentrate on nothing but her mother and father. Their faces, their smells, the smiles that would great her in the morning or the morning hugs and kisses she would receive from them or the hugs and kisses she would get when she finished academy.

Her heart ached to feel those little things that meant so much to her.

'**Good girl'** the voice cooed.

As soon she thought about them the pain almost instantly felt like it was sucked from her and became more bearable, it was still there but she could at least move now _'Thank you'_ she said in her head.

'**I..it was m..my plea..sure'** the voice said with a groan** 'H..hurry I don't think I...I can h..hold it for l...long'**

Sakura felt guilty that she was the cause of the voice's distress but was thankful that she had her there to help. She looked to her left to see Sasuke with his head down "Sasuke" she whispered but he didn't move. She tried again a little louder "Sasuke" still no response, he had passed out.

There were grunts and poofing noises in front of her and when she looked up a look of shock and disgust crossed her face for there not too far ahead of her was Orochimaru with half a dozen snakes coming out of his mouth and was attacking Naruto clones _'Eww...' _she thought as a bout of nausea passed over her '_I have to get this snake off us'_ she was able to get her hands out from under the snake and made quick hand signs.

The snake instantly released its hold of the pair when an electric current went thought its body, she didn't stop the current until the snake was no longer moving. Lucky for her Orochimaru hadn't noticed that she was now free, she made sure Sasuke was okay before she slipped around the trees with her chakra masked.

As she got closer she faltered in her step, Naruto was now being suspended in the air by his throat and the snakes hand was glowing a purple colour "I don't think so" Orochimaru said to Naruto before he plunged his hand into Naruto's stomach causing the blonde to scream in pain.

"NOOO!"

She rushed forward which the man was not expecting, he released the blonde who fell to the ground still. Sakura had thought he was dead and she could see red as she charged at Orochimaru, Orochimaru stepped back "Interesting...most of my subjects that receive my gift don't regain consciousness for some time"

He kept on jumping away from the furious girl "You are very special.." he smiled a crooked smile "And don't worry the boy will be fine" he defiantly did not want this one after him for revenge with her power, Sakura stopped her assault and ran to Naruto's side as Orochimaru began to fade but before he did he spoke to her "You and Sasuke will come to me for more power...and when you do I'll be waiting" and he was gone.

"Naruto" Sakura shook the boy "Naruto wake up!" he groaned "Come my precious ramen...I'll protect you" the boy said and began snoring. Sakura chuckled and shook her head, trust Naruto to sleep at a time like this. She dragged him over to where Sasuke was before she fell to her knees as the pain started to intensify again, a groan left her lips as she felt the being inside her head struggle to hold onto the pain.

'_Can you hold on a little longer?'_

'_**I..I'll try'**_

The pain once again receded to a comfortable pressure _'How much more do we have to put up with'_ she asked herself. This was not what she thought the second part of the chuunin exams would be like...not one bit. A groan from Sasuke got her attention, she could see the boy was sweating come to think of it she was sweating as well "It must be what he did to us" She whispered as she pulled a cloth from her pack and wet it before putting it over his head.

She pulled another cloth from her pack and wet it before running it around her neck and over her face wiping the sweat and dirt from her, it felt so good and cool against her headed skin. Sasuke moaned again and Sakura placed her hand on his cheek "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him" she whispered his head seemed to lean into her touch as if he had heard her and he was telling her it wasn't her fault.

**~O~**

It had been a few hours since the fight with Orochimaru and nothing had happened, the pain from the bite came back twice but inner was able to pull it back but neither of them was sure how much longer she could hold it back for. But it was coming back at a steady pace, there was a groan from her left and Sakura looked to find Naruto sitting up.

"Naruto...Your awake" Sakura couldn't deny the relieved feeling as she watched the boy rub his head "What happened?" he asked looking around, his eyes landed on an unconscious Sasuke and the memory of the snaky bastard "S..Sasuke!" he crawled to the boy with a worried look on his face "What's wrong with him" he looked up and to Sakura, the instant his eyes landed on her face he was by her side "Sakura are you okay" he asked the deathly pale girl that was wet with sweat. "I..I'm fine.." she groaned as the pain became more intense "W...we have to get h..help for Sas..uke"

Naruto couldn't help but worry over his female team-mate when she was sitting in front of him holding her neck and her eyes were shut tightly as she breathed deeply. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you Sakura" Naruto said as he placed a hand on Sakura's. the girl became still and her lips became a thin line "I should have been there to stop him from hurting you"

Naruto was unaware of what he was doing when Sakura's eyes shot open and a glare was directed towards him, but the boy was looking down so he didn't see it _'Does he really think of me as that weak that I can't protect myself'_ she thought to herself as anger at the blonde rose inside her _'Do they all think that I am weak?'_

Flashbacks of their previous encounters with the enemy popped into her head, first was when the demon brothers attacked them when they were protecting Tazuna the bridge builder.

**FLASHBACK**

_Sakura jumped in front of Tazuna as one of the mist ninja headed for him "Tazuna sir, stay behind me and I will protect you" Sakura said as she pulled shuriken out of her pouch, she aimed them at the ninja and threw them. The shuriken would have been a direct hit if not for the gauntlet on his arm that he used as a shield._

_He pulled his right hand back with the poison soaked claw on it as he came closer, Sakura prepared herself for the impact but it never came. A flash of black and blue was seen before Sasuke was standing in front of her "I've got you covered" was all he said as he stood ready for the impact, in the next instant Kakashi had both ninja under his arms in a head lock unconscious._

**END FLASHBACK**

Sasuke had jumped in front of her to protect her, she felt the anger bubble up even more as she thought about when they got back from that mission and ran into the sand siblings.

**FLASHBACK**

_Sakura and Naruto were walking down the street to meet with the other two members of team 7 when "NARUTO!"_

_The pair looked up to see a kid running towards them, the boy had on some kind of silver hat that covered his dark brown hair leaving it to stick out at the top. He had on a yellow shirt and grey pants, around his neck was a very long blue scarf that Sakura was hoping he would trip over. As the boy got closer they could see his wide dark panicked eyes._

"_NARUTO! SAVE ME!"_

_He ran behind Naruto and hid "Konohamaru what's the matter?" Naruto asked worried for his new friend "I...I didn't mean t..to do it" the boy stuttered "You didn't mean to do what?" Sakura asked eyeing the boy who had just noticed her, a grin appeared on the boys face his fear forgotten "Hey Naruto you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend"_

_Both Naruto and Sakura looked at the boy with wide eyes and open mouths, Sakura was the first to regain her composure "Why you little sh..." she was interrupted when two people walked up to them and Konohamaru ran into one trying to get away from Sakura's fist._

"_Thought you could get away from me did ya?" one of them said, both Sakura and Naruto had to hold back their laughter at the sight of the one now holding the boy in the air. He had a completely black suit on from his feet to the head piece with the...cat ears_

_His face had purple paint on it, it was as if he was wearing eye shadow lipstick and the blush went a bit haywire with it going over his cheeks and forehead, there was also purple paint going from his coloured bottom lip to his covered neck in the form of a triangle._

'_Wow Halloween prank gone wrong' Sakura thought to herself before looking to the girl that stood next to the cat man, she had blonde hair that spiked up at the back in four directions her dark blue eyes looked towards cat man with amusement as he scared the kid to death as she leaned on a huge fan, Sakura couldn't work out why these two were in Konoha 'Are they even here with permission?' she was going to voice her thoughts but Naruto spoke before her._

"_Hey let Konohamaru go you big cat wannabe!"_

_Sakura snickered at the blonde as cat man glared at him, the girl laughed as well and Konohamaru looked like he was about to pee himself with laughter as he was held in the air. But not for long as he was thrown to the ground before cat man pulled that big thing with bushy brown hair on top off his back "Cocky little shit aren't ya...we'll see just how cocky you are after I get through with you" he growled._

_The blonde girl put her hand on his shoulder "Kankuro they aren't worth it and Gaara will be pissed if we were late" she whispered to him but Sakura was able to hear. A look of fear passed across both of their faces at the mention of this Gaara person but it was gone as quickly as it came "I don't care Temari I hate bratty kids that think they're good..." he then looked at the girl called Temari with what looked like a pout "Besides he called me a cat wannabe...I am not a cat!"_

_Sakura raised an eyebrow 'Are they for real?' Temari sighed "Fine but if we're late it's your fault" and she went back to leaning on her big ass fan. Kankuro made a move to attack Naruto who was completely ignoring him and snickering with the kid. Sakura pulled out a kunai and threw with at him and hit the funny looking back pack._

"_I don't think so" she said glaring at him "And Naruto..." she turned to look at him "Pay attention to cat man when he is attacking you" Naruto sweat-dropped and nodded his head, a new bout of laughter about ready to break through. Kankuro's face started to turn red as he glared daggers at Sakura "Why you little bitch, you'll pay for that" Sakura crouched in a defensive stance ready for him to attack but when he was about to lunge for her he was once again stopped by a...stone._

"_You touch her and you will be sorry" came the calm bored voice of the third member of team 7 who was sitting in a tree as if it was a lounge chair, Sakura could see the frustration and anger in Kankuro's face. She felt a little sorry for him...but he did start it._

"_Oh come on will ya" Kankuro growled "Not another one" Sakura could almost see him stomping his foot as he whined. "Stop being the hero Sasuke-teme.." Naruto growled and he did stomp his foot "I was going to save Sakura" Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes "I don't need saving by either of you...now stay out of our way" she growled glaring at both of her boys before looking to Kankuro "Well what are you waiting for...an invitation?"_

_Kankuro smirked "After this you'll keep your mouth closed...pinky"_

_They both lunged at each other with a kunai in hand but before they could reach each other another figure materialised in the middle and sand flew up and around the pair restraining them, the sand moved them and in the next instant they were both being flung backwards._

_Kankuro flew into a tree with a groan and Sakura was thrown into something soft that grunted on impact. She looked up and saw a head of black and eyes just as black looking back at her a hint of worry in them "A..are you okay?" Sasuke asked, Sakura nodded her head "Yeah...thanks" she said and a "Hn" was her reply._

_Naruto stood in front of his fallen team-mates to protect them "Kankuro you embarrass me again and you will regret it" the new comer said in a low menacing tone, Sakura looked up at him. He looked to be they're age or younger unlike the other two that were defiantly older, he had short spiky red hair and pale green eyes that had black circles around them as if he needed sleep and as he glared at them an evil gleam was seen. Sakura couldn't help but shiver as she and Sasuke stood up._

_On his forehead was a kanji tattoo that meant love, he was carrying a gourd on his back that Sakura thought held waster since they looked like they were sand ninja and the desert where the village was is very hot._

_After he spoke to the pair behind him he turned his eyes to the three and a half in front of him, of course Konohamaru didn't stay for long then there was three "You" he said motioning towards Sakura "If we cross paths again...I won't hesitate to kill you" the threat felt real enough to Sakura by the way his eyes screamed danger to her._

"_There's not a chance in hell buddy" Naruto said moving in front of her "You'll have to get through me to get to her" Sasuke stepped forward not saying anything but the message was clear as day 'And me too' his posture sang out._

_The boy ignored Naruto and looked at Sasuke "Who are you and your female comrade?" Sasuke smirked at Naruto as he grumbled about no-one wanting to know who he was "I am Sasuke Uchiha" he said and Sakura stood next to him "And I am Sakura Haruno" there was looks of shock on Temari and Kankuro's faces when they said their names but dared not to speak 'This kid must be Gaara'_

"_And you?" Sasuke asked, the boy turned away and began to walk away Sakura thought he wasn't going to say anything but he turned his head "Gaara" was all that was said before the three disappeared._

**END FLASHBACK**

Again he had saved her and they both either said that she needed protection or their body language said it. Sakura couldn't believe that they saw her as weak and needed protection from them. '_I am not weak'_ she went to stand but where the bite was pulsed and she ended up falling. She closed her eyes and as she fell she heard the voice in her head speak_._

'**I'm sorry'**

The pain came back full force if not more as she screamed, her whole body stared convulsing and she could hear the panicked voice of Naruto "Sakura! Sakura are you okay what's happening?" the only thing she could do was scream as the pain became more intense.

"Sakura my youthful cherry blossom" another voice, a picture of a boy with round black eyes that sat just under what looked like two big scruffy caterpillars and shiny black hair in a bowl cut smiling at her with blinding white teeth giving her a thumbs up who wore green spandex. "What has done this to my youthful flower" was the last thing Sakura heard before her consciousness slipped away and the pain with it.

**~O~**

Naruto had turned his back on her for a second to look at a squirrel when he heard her scream, he turned to see her hit the ground and her body started shaking and thrashing around. He ran to her and held her down by the shoulders "Sakura!" she screamed again "Sakura are you okay what's happening?" only her screams were his answer "What do I do" he was panicking now "Sa..." he was cut off by a blast of black and green "Sakura my youthful cherry blossom" and the Gai-sensei look alike was by her side.

Rock lee or bushy-brows as Naruto dubbed him looked towards him with tear filled eyes "What has done this to my youthful flower?" Naruto sweat-dropped _'No wonder Sakura refused his offer of boyfriend...he's creepy...Sakura, Sasuke...don't leave me alone with him!' _on the inside Naruto was crying his eyes out and shaking the Sasuke and Sakura in his head awake.

Naruto looked down at Sakura when she stopped moving and screaming, at first he was worried that she died but her chest was rising slowly and he could feel a small quiver from her body every now and then as he held her. "Naruto" he looked to the boy beside him, "Naruto what happened to your youthful team-mates?"

Naruto looked at him for a moment "Team-mates?...Oh crap Sasuke!" Naruto remembered the boy had also been bitten by Orochimaru. Sasuke was still laying there with a slightly moist rag on his forehead _'You really are an idiot Naruto...who would forget about his team-mates'_ he chided himself, he looked to Lee with a serious look "We have to look after them until they wake up"

Lee wasn't very sure about that "Shouldn't we take them to the jounin in charge of this unyouthful event?" Naruto glared at him "No! Sasuke and Sakura both need to complete this, it is out of the question that it ends here. We will finish this test together and get stronger together...Believe it!" Naruto gave him a wide grin and a thumbs up.

"Okay I will do anything for my youthful flower and if I can't protect her with my life than I will do one thousand laps around this unyouthful forest, and if I can't ru..." Naruto tuned him out as he looked to his two team-mates with a sad look as they slightly shook _'I wasn't there for you before...but I will protect you both with my life until the day I die...'_

**~O~**

"_Mother? Father? Where are you!" an eight year old yelled as he looked for his mother and father in the empty house that was his family's home. Sasuke was afraid that what he saw out on the street was the fate of his family. He walked into the kitchen, there was no sign of them anywhere. Next was the bedrooms, not even Itachi was there 'Where are they?' he was beginning to panic now._

_The last room that he was yet to check was the room where they kept all their scrolls weapons and a shrine, a noise was heard in the room than a thud "Mother, Father is that you?" the frightened boy asked, his voice cracking. There was no answer as he approached the door, his hand shakily reached for the door. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he opened his eyes and opened the door._

**~O~**

Naruto and lee took it in turns to watch over the two fallen members of team seven for the next day, Naruto was getting worried because they hadn't woken up yet "Why aren't they waking up!" he growled to no-one in particular as Lee was sleeping. "Maybe I should have taken them to the creepy lady" he said thinking of the purple haired woman that was freaky.

"That would have been a very good idea" a voice said from the trees and two sets of snickers were heard following it "Yeah...but it's too late now" came another voice. Naruto looked around with a kunai in hand "Bushy-brows" no answer "Let the boy sleep while he can" came a feminine voice. Naruto heightened his senses "Who are you and what do you want!" Naruto yelled into the forest.

Three laughs were heard "Just the boy and girl" three ninja stepped out of the trees with nasty smirks on their faces. The first Naruto saw had his head wrapped up in bandages leaving only his left eye visible with his sound head-band on his forehead, he had a grey shirt with sleeves that were too long for him, his pants were grey cargo pants. There was also some big fluffy looking thing strapped to his back.

The other male unlike the first didn't have any bandages on his face showing his sly smirk. His black hair was spiked up, his shirt was yellow and the sleeve stopped at his elbows where black arm-bands went the rest of the way he also wore the same pants as the first dude. Naruto instantly didn't like him.

The girl of the group had incredibly long black hair, Naruto could have sworn he saw it touch the ground. She had on a short sleeved grey/creamy shirt, she had the same arm-bands that the second male had on. She was wearing the same pants as the other two only she had a skirt of the same colour that reached mid thigh.

"Like hell you'll even get near them!" Naruto growled "Bushy-brows!" he threw his sandal at the sleeping boy and hit him in the head. "Oh Gai-sensei! my youthful cherry blossom loves me!" the boy shot up with a bright smile and a thumbs up. All four ninja in the area sweat-dropped "LEE!" Naruto yelled gaining the boys attention.

Lee looked to Naruto and spotted the three standing in front of him, lee joined Naruto in a defensive stance to protect the one he loved and her team-mates.

**~O~**

"_NO!" Sakura wiped her head around to the scream only to find herself looking at...herself as a six year old, she was standing at the door to her uncle's house crying as she looked to the people in front of her 'No...please stop go away!' Sakura tried to say as she watched her nightmare unfold once again right in front of her like a dream._

"_You could have stopped it if you were stronger" a voice said from behind her and a cold pale hand landed on her shoulder, Sakura was hesitant to turn around but she had to when Madara pulled the sword from her father's chest. As her eyes found the person next to her. Her eyes widened and a gasp left her mouth._

_**~O~**_

_Sasuke opened the door to find two dark mounds in the middle of the floor and a dark liquid slowly coming closer to him "Mother, father?" he was about to move towards the mound but as he took a step his world became dark and he couldn't see a foot in front of him. Suddenly there was a small light big enough to see a little in front of him and it was slowly getting bigger and the room was coming into view._

_But something changed, Sasuke knew what the mound was...it was his mother and father 'W..what's happening?' he could now hear a child crying, he looked to the sound and found a small child crying over the mound and someone in the shadows behind them 'LOOK OUT!' Sasuke tried to say but it only came out in his head._

_Sasuke could do nothing but watch as the shadow materialised into his brother Itachi, and he then realised that the child on the ground was him as Itachi tortured his younger self with the deaths of his clan in the mongekyou sharingan._

_After Itachi had tortured the boy and left, Sasuke's younger self stood with his head hung low and his bangs falling over his moist eyes as he turned in the direction of Sasuke. "You could have saved them" the boy said slowly lifting his head "But...you were too weak" the boy's head shot up the rest of the way and a malicious smirk adorned his face._

"_If only you had more power" the boy said as he placed his hand on his face and dragged his fingers down the left side revealing yellow eyes with a thin slit in the middle and a deathly pale complexion "I can give you that power" came the voice of Orochimaru who now stood before Sasuke "Let the power I have given you flow through you and come to me"_

**~O~**

"One down one to go" mummy man as Naruto put it now known as Dosu said to Naruto as Lee collapsed on the ground from Dosu's sound amplifier that is able to amplify and generate sonic waves that with the vibration's he used to attack Lee's inner ear and immobile the boy who was now lying flat on the ground "Na..Naruto protect S..Sakura" he whispered before he passed out.

Naruto glared at the man, they had managed to knock the other male out that was known as Zaku but the girl Kin managed to wake him up and now Naruto was on his own against three powerful ninja...or so he thought.

Off into the bushes sat the members of team 10 "What do we do, Sasuke is hurt" Ino was almost crying as she watched the boy on the ground. The one next to her rolled his eyes "You do know there are _four_ of them there...don't you?" his name was Shikamaru, he had dark brown hair that was tied at the back and spiked out like a pineapple with dark brown lazy eyes.

"Sasuke is the only one I care about"

He looked at the girl next to him before turning to the boy next to him with a roll of his eyes and a mumbled "Troublesome". The boy's name was Chouji and he was Shikamaru's best friend, Chouji was a chubby boy who had light brown spiky hair and dark brown eyes he had a red swirl on either side of his face. These two boys looked normal...well Shikamaru was the laziest ninja out there but he was the smartest ninja around with an IQ of over 200, Chouji on the other hand was very sensitive to his weight and when it was brought up and the word fat was used he became very aggressive and dangerous to the user of the word 'Fat', but he would do anything for food.

Team 10 watched as Naruto tried to fend off the enemy "You know this is going to get ugly soon" Chouji said as he chomped on a packet of chips and watched, Ino turned to glare at him "How can you eat when my poor Sasuke is hurt you Fa..." a hand was placed over her mouth before the word was let out. "Ino we know how much you care...love I mean love him" Shikamaru quickly said after the glare he got from her "But if we don't do something Sasuke _and_ the others are going to die"

"Sasu..." Ino was about to say something when Chouji slapped her in the face with his packet of chips as he pointed to where the group was "Look" the three looked to find while they were talking another two ninja showed up.

Up in the tree's sat the other team members of Lee's team, Neji Hyuuga who had long brown hair tied in a low pony-tail with pearl coloured eyes that were glaring at the shinobi with his byakugan activated and Tenten who had dark chocolate brown hair that was tied in two buns on either side of her head and her deep brown eyes matched her team-mates intensity as she played with a kunai

"Those two are Neji Hyuuga the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan and Tenten who is considered a weapons master aren't they Shikamaru?" Chouji asked as he watched the pair exchange some words with the sound genin "Ah" Shikamaru watched the interaction but something was off. _'Why is Neji hesitating?'_

"Come on I want to save Sasuke so he will love me forever" Ino said as she tried to pull the boys out of the bush, Shikamaru watched as Neji looked towards the Uchiha. Something a deep purple was swirling around the boy that looked like..._'No it can't be'_ "Ino no we have to stay here...something bad is about to happen and we don't want to be caught in it" he pulled Ino down. "Bu..." she was once again cut off "Trust me" Shikamaru said as he watched Sasuke stand after waking up.

**~O~**

Sasuke could feel the power rush through him as he stood up _'This power...this feeling is...amazing' _he looked at his surroundings to find Sakura laying next to him unconscious and Naruto on his knees with a ninja holding a kunai to his throat. There was the weird guy in the green jump suit laying on the ground and not far from him stood two more ninja that were dressed the same as the woman behind Naruto.

Sasuke glared at the three not bothering about the other five ninja in the background. He glared at the woman holding Naruto.

Naruto watched as Sasuke looked around before his murderous sharingan glare fell on the bitch with the kunai behind him ready to slit his throat, he looked...different.

Don't get him wrong, he was happy that his team-mate was awake but the purple energy flowing around him and the red splotches on the left side of his body was unsettling. "Release him" Sasuke said in a low threatening voice as he glared at the girl. Naruto could feel the kunai shaking, although he couldn't blame her. He was actually afraid of the Uchiha as well.

"And if she doesn't?" came the smart-ass reply from Zaku, as he smirked at the dark haired boy. Sasuke turned his glare to Zaku and a smirk appeared on his face, as they all watched what the boy would do, the red marks began to move across his body like a flame until it could be seen everywhere before the flames became black.

Zaku held his hands out in front of himself revealing his secret weapon, an air tube in each hand that would allow him to shoot strong blasts of air at his opponent "Kin get out of the road...I'm going to obliterate these brats!"

Kin released her hold of Naruto and raced towards Dosu to get out of Zaku's way. "Supersonic slicing wave!" a massive powerful blast came from Zaku's hands and headed straight for team 7.

"Haha see that they didn't stand a chance" Zaku said after the dust from his jutsu cleared and there was no sign of the three. A scoff and snicker was heard behind the three sound ninja, and with wide eyes all three turned around to face a very much alive team 7. "WHAT! But...how did you miss my attack, no-one can escape it" Zaku was in shock to say the least, he couldn't work out how some little punk ass kids could escape his most powerful jutsu without even a scratch.

"You hold yourself and your pathetic jutsu's to highly" Sasuke stated as he placed a still unconscious Sakura on the ground next to where Naruto was standing, before he stood and faced Zaku with a glare. "You're in trouble now" Naruto said with a laugh "Stay out of this" both Zaku and Sasuke said simultaneously, "Keep Sakura away from this, dobe" Sasuke said not even turning around as a fireball left his mouth.

Naruto stared at the boy that was moments ago standing before him but now in a fight with Zaku, '_I didn't even see him move let alone make hand signs...how'd he get so fast?' _

**~O~**

_Sakura gasped at the sight before her, a girl her age with dull green eyes and equally dull pink waist length hair stood beside her. Sakura would have thought the girl was her but the girl looked dead. Sakura stumbled backwards "W..who are you?" the girl turned to her and laughed. Sakura gasped, the girl sounded just like she did on those rare occasions when she laughed at Naruto._

"_What's the matter...don't you even recognise yourself?" the girl tilted her head to the side as if she was confused, and an eerie smirk appeared on her face. "N..no I...you're dead!" the girl chuckled "And so will you if you don't gain more power" she turned and watched what was happening._

_Madara had a smirk on his face as he spoke to the younger Sakura "...and thank you for your mother" Sakura watched as her younger self tried to get to them before Noki and Madara disappeared with her mother "You could have saved them all...if you had more power" her dead self said "You are too weak to even save the ones you care for now" the girl turned to her with a snarl "Weak and pathetic..."_

_Sakura couldn't help but let the tears fall that were building up, 'I am weak...even Naruto thinks I am' the girl started to disappear along with the light bringing Sakura into darkness but before it was completely black the girl spoke to her "Go to him...go to him and gain power, he will give you what you need to complete your revenge...he is waiting" and then everything went black._

**~O~**

"SASUKE! STOP!" as Sakura regained her consciousness that was the first thing she heard before she even opened her eyes. She stood up and looked around, Naruto was standing a little in front of her with his back to her watching something she couldn't see. The weird boy that asked her to be his girlfriend was sprawled out on the ground, she vaguely remembered his voice before she passed out.

There was another two ninja that she had no clue as to who they were standing at the far end of the field they were in and staring at something with wide eyes, there was another two chakra signatures directly in front of Naruto. One just like the others she had no clue who it was and the other was very familiar yet very different at the same time, it was stronger and threatening to overpower everything around them.

She sidestepped and was able to see Sasuke holding another ninja by the arms while his knee rested on the ninja's back ready to break his arms. It should have shocked her to see him like that but what did shock her was his appearance, purple chakra swirled around him that was very powerful and black flames were all over his body.

A gasp left her lips as she looked to herself, she could see red chakra swirling around her body and lifting up the ground where her feet were. Black vine like patterns were going up the left side of her body, and most of all was the power she felt within her '_Is this the gift he was talking about?' _a smirk appeared on her face '_I feel more powerful than ever before' _she looked up as she heard a loud cracking sound and a scream from the ninja that just had his arms broken by Sasuke. A scoff left her lips and a whispered "Pussy" as she watched Sasuke make his way towards the other two.

'_**Sakura you must stop this'**_inner said in a frantic voice.

'_Why_' Sakura didn't want to stop Sasuke, she wanted to join him.

'_**This is wrong and you know it, now stop him!'**_

Sakura sighed '_You aren't going to shut up until I do aren't you'_

'_**No, now move it'**_

Sakura huffed but did as she was told '_This sucks shit' _Sakura walked past Naruto who stopped yelling at Sasuke to stop, his mouth now hanging open. The other ninja became even more scared...if that was possible, as Sakura walked over to Sasuke. When she reached him she grabbed a hold of his arm and as soon as she did the chakra that was swirling around the two of them combined and their power seemed to increase.

"They're not worth your energy" Sakura said in a bored tone, Sasuke glared at the two ninja that were shaking like a leaf before he grunted "Your lucky she stopped me" Sakura removed her hand from his arm and in that instant both of their marks receded and they fell to the ground panting.

"I will give you our heaven scroll on the condition that you let us leave" Dosu said as he placed the scroll on the ground before Sasuke and Sakura before picking Zaku up who groaned in pain "You are too powerful to face now...but if we cross paths again one of us will die...and I assure you it won't be me" Sakura and Sasuke looked at each other before looking at the retreating ninja and their injured team-mate.

As the marks receded their minds became clearer, it was as if the marks were controlling them and their thoughts because a look of total shock and disgust appeared on Sasuke's face as he looked at his shaking hands "W..what did I...do" Sakura watched as the boy beside her was almost having a panic attack.

"I..I almost killed him" Sasuke looked at Sakura with scared eyes "What...am I?" Sakura placed her hand on his shaking ones "Sasuke you are not a monster...it was what he did to us" Sasuke knew who 'he' was and looked Sakura in the eyes as she spoke "I could feel myself wanting to show them my power and...and destroy them...as well"

"Even though I knew it was wrong watching you do it but...I...wanted to do the same thing" a look of disgust appeared on Sakura's face as she turned away from him "I.." she was cut off when a pair of arms circled around her and Sasuke bringing them extremely close. "I am so glad you guys are okay" came the voice of Naruto as he hugged his team-mates.

After a moment Sakura pushed away from them and Sasuke pushed Naruto off him with a "Get off dobe" before he stood. And dusted himself off. He held out a hand to each of his team-mates who took it and they all stood together. They looked around the area to find Lee's team-mates by his side, the girl shaking him awake and the guy looking at them with a defensive glare.

Three more ninja popped out of the bushes with wide eyes, they were team 10. "So that was a little scary but...COOL!" Naruto jumped up and down "How'd you get so fast teme?" he asked looking at the boy. Sasuke on the other hand was looking at the ground with no intentions of answering the blonde "I mean bushy-brows and me could only knock out the dude with the wind arms before Bushy-brows was knocked out...I still don't know how mummy-man did it but he did" Sasuke's eyes shot up to Naruto's face Sakura joining him in staring at the boy as he babbled "he explained it but I wasn't listening...anyway you wake up and they run away with their tails between their legs"

'_Were they that strong?' _Sasuke couldn't believe it, if Lee couldn't fight them with Naruto's help...then how strong was he?

He was lost in his thoughts until a groan was heard next to him, he looked to Sakura to find her with her head down and her hand on her forehead. He was about to ask her if she was okay but "Sasuke" now he understood her position. Enter Sasuke's biggest fan-girl "Oh Sasuke my love" a blonde blur later and Ino had attacked herself to Sasuke's arm and was...hugging him. "I'm so happy you are safe"

"Ino" Sakura growled "Let him go and go annoy your own team" she said looking up and glaring at the blonde. "For your information billboard brow, my Sasuke likes it when I'm with him..don't you Sasuke" she said sweetly to the boy who only groaned as he tried to detach himself from her. Sakura didn't feel like fighting with the girl today so she sighed "Fine" and walked away over to Ino's team-mates leaving Sasuke to stare at her retreating back almost pleading for her to come back and help him.

**~O~**

It had been a few weeks since the forest of death and many things had changed one being six of the genin were chosen to be chuunin, Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten, Sasuke, Sakura, and a very surprising Naruto were the new chuunin. Naruto had made a new friend in Gaara after forcing the boy to see that he had people that loved him and he needed to protect after Gaara and the Sand ninja tried to destroy Konoha on the orders of their Kazekage which turned out to be Orochimaru who had killed the Kazekage long before the exams.

They had also lost the third Hokage after he stopped Orochimaru by taking his jutsu away and killing his arms in the process. But the Hokage sacrificed himself to save the village, Naruto had gone with a pervert known as Jiraiya to retrieve the new Hokage after he turned it down himself.

While he was gone Naruto learned that Jiraiya was Orochimaru's team-mate a long time ago along with the woman Tsunade who they were looking for to be Hokage, he also learned that Sarutobi had been their sensei and that the three of them were Konoha's legendary sannin...after Jiraiya explained what a sannin was of course.

Naruto also learned that Tsunade was a very powerful kunoichi that had a temper to match and she could summon...slugs, hence the name Slug sannin. He was able to see Jiraiya and Tsunade in action when Orochimaru showed up wanting Tsunade to heel his arms who refused, that is how he came to greatly respect the power those three had as they went head to head with their summoning's Tsunade with her giant slug Katsuyu, Orochimaru with his giant snake Manda, Naruto always knew he was a snake bastard, and Jiraiya with his giant...toad Gamabunta.

Everything started to return to normal after they returned and Tsunade became Hokage and had taken Sakura on as her apprentice...that is everything except team 7. Sakura and Sasuke started distancing themselves from the team and each other, just like they had done before they became a team only without the hostility. Kakashi became worried as he watched the two, he had an idea that it was the curse marks that Orochimaru had given them but he wasn't sure. He had placed a seal around them after the first matches to stop it from influencing them but he knew that they had used their cursed marks to fight Gaara, but he could do no more for them. It was up to them now.

**~O~**

A figure stood in a dark room with a single flame flickering occasionally revealing the orange mask on his face as he waited for someone to come. The door behind him creaked as it opened before closing again as the newcomer stood behind him "You asked to see me Madara?" the visitor spoke in an emotionless voice. The person was the only one who knew who he really was.

"Yes, it has come to my attention that Orochimaru is seeking the Haruno girl for her power and has already marked her" he said turning around to face the person "I want you to take her from that village" he spat in disgust "And bring the cherry blossom to me...do you understand?" the figure nodded his head before walking to the door and opening it "Oh and Itachi" the dark haired man turned to face Madara "Don't fail me"

Itachi walked out of the room with a scowl on his face, silently making his way to a particular room. He entered to find his target laying on the second bed in the room "You were right" he said standing in front of the pale blue haired man "He has ordered me to bring her to him...I leave tonight" the man sat straight up on the bed and glared at Itachi

"What do you want me to do Noki?"

**~O~**

Sakura was on her way back to her apartment after training with Tsunade who had become her sensei when she came to the village (Sakura told herself it was a way to keep an eye on her curse mark. Sasuke had the other's and Jiraiya following him around to watch him) when she had the urge to walk to the top of the Kage mountain and just sit and think. When she reached the top there was another there, Sasuke had the same idea as Sakura did and was sitting on the head of the fourth Hokage. Sakura bit her bottom lip and was about to walk away when Sasuke spoke "You don't have to leave"

Sakura looked at him for a moment before she moved over to where he was seated and sat down a little away from him "Hi" she said he answered her with a grunt before they sat in silence.

After a while of comfortable silence, Sakura spoke "So...how ha training been?" a smirk appeared on Sasuke's face and Sakura joined him "Naruto is getting sick of being beaten" Sakura snickered "I bet he would be" another moment of silence filled the air before it was Sasuke's turn to break it.

"And you?"

Sakura looked at him for a moment before she looked out at the village "It's going good Lady Tsunade said I am advancing well, having mastered the basics of medic ninjutsu but my tomokugan has helped with that" she gave a soft laugh, "Although I think she is only teaching me to keep an eye on me so I don't get out of control" another half hearted laugh escaped her lips "Ah" was the response she got from Sasuke.

Sakura looked him for a moment than realisation hit "Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya...right?" he gave her a curt nod before the atmosphere was once again plunged into silence. They sat there looking over the village for another hour before Sakura stood up "I guess I had better get going and get to bed" Sakura said before she started to walk away.

As she was walking away from him, she didn't see the person in the background that had been watching them for the past hour. She got a third of the way down the mountain before she became aware of the presence behind her, she pulled a kunai out of her pouch as she continued to walk down the mountain. She could almost feel the person behind her now.

She could tell from the chakra of the person that they were powerful and she felt intimidated, she needed help and the closest person was still sitting at the top of the fourth's head _'I need to get his attention...but how?'_ a thought popped into her head _'If I flare my chakra Sasuke would think something was wrong and come to me'_ with her plan set she was about to enact it when.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

Sakura froze at the voice behind her, after a moment she gained enough courage to turn slowly around to face the voice. Her eyes widened and she stumbled backwards, there standing in front of her was Itachi Uchiha. Sakura was very intimidated now, there was no way she could take him on her own...not the Uchiha prodigy that was an ANBU agent at age 12.

"SASUKE!"

She screamed as loud as she could in hopes of getting the young Uchiha's attention, she was about to scream again when a hand was slapped over her mouth preventing her from making and further noises other than muffled whimpers. "Foolish little girl, you shouldn't have done that" Itachi said in a low menacing tone as he held her with her back against his chest, she tried to fight him off but the Akatsuki member was too strong for her.

A sharp pain was felt in the back of her neck before her world started to go black, the last thing she heard was her name being shouted out by Sasuke as he came into view of the pair "Sa..Sasuke" she whispered before she collapsed into Itachi's arms.

**~O~**

Sasuke was about ready to head home himself when he heard a scream "SASUKE!" it was Sakura and she was in trouble. Sasuke jumped up and raced as fast as he could down the path towards where Sakura was, he rounded a corner and slid to a halt, there in front of him was Sakura being held by...Itachi.

"Sakura!" he yelled as the girls head started to drop, a quiet whisper of "Sa..Sasuke" was heard by the girl before she completely dropped into his brother's arms. Sasuke glared at Itachi "What did you do to her you bastard!" Itachi looked at Sasuke before his eyes fell to the girl in his arms "That is none of your business little brother"

Sasuke felt the anger explode inside him and he launched himself at Itachi "You bastard...I'll kill you!" Itachi disappeared from his line of sight only to appear behind him. "I'm not here for you little brother" Itachi said, Sasuke swung around and launched himself at Itachi again. Itachi repositioned Sakura so she was slumped over his shoulder as Sasuke charged him.

Itachi's hand shot out and wrapped itself around Sasuke's neck, Sasuke hit the wall of the mountain with a groan "You are still too weak, you don't have enough hate to kill me" Itachi's grip tightened around Sasuke's neck. Sasuke looked to the unconscious girl over his brother's shoulder "W..why, why her?" Itachi chuckled "She is a distraction to your goal" Sasuke than found himself with Itachi's knee in his stomach.

Itachi watched as the boy coughed up blood and his eyes rolled in the back of his head as he began to lose consciousness. Once the boys eyes had closed Itachi released him and Sasuke slumped to the ground "I'm sorry" was the last thing that was heard as Itachi along with Sakura disappeared into a sea of squawking crows.

**~O~**

Sasuke had woken up the next day in bed with Naruto and Kakashi looking all gloomy Kakashi had told him that he was found by Kotetsu and Izumo and taken to the hospital where Tsunade had worked on him. When he asked about Sakura the atmosphere had become that thick that Sasuke felt like he was drowning in it, there was no sign of the pinkette anywhere in the fire nation but Tsunade said she wouldn't give up looking for her.

Sasuke was then left alone in his hospital bed after yelling at all of them, he sat there and his thoughts were of the girl that he had come to care about _'She was taken from me just like the other's'_ anger bubbled inside him as he thought about Itachi taking Sakura away. A voice was heard in his mind _'Come to me'_ it was that snake Orochimaru _'I can give you the power you seek'_ he thought about the offer and what had just happened. He had two choices either stay in the village and continue to be weak and let Itachi take every last person that meant something to him away or go to Orochimaru and become stronger and obliterate Itachi.

The decision was easy to make, Sasuke stood from his bed and got changed, he went back to his apartment and gathered his things before heading to the gates. Kotetsu and Izumo were there sleeping as usual, he slipped out of the gates and before he disappeared he looked back at the village that was his home a pang was felt in his chest but the guilty feeling of having lost another precious person to his brother outweighed it.

His head-band was pulled from his head and a kunai was dragged across the insignia before it was dropped on the ground. "Never again" was the last thing Sasuke Uchiha said as a chuunin of Konoha village hidden in the leaves.

**~O~**

Itachi materialised just out of the village and was met by two other Akatsuki members, one being Kisame Itachi's team-mate and the other a lifelong friend of his. "Did anyone see you there?" Itachi nodded his head "My little brother was there when I took her" a flash of sadness was seen in his eyes before it disappeared. The Akatsuki member stepped out of the shadows and took his hat off revealing none other than Noki Haruno murderer of his clan "It is for the good of the plan" Noki said as he took his unconscious cousin from Itachi. The pair began to walk away when Kisame said something "I don't get it what plan are you talking about and why aren't you taking the girl back to the hide-out?"

Both clan murderers turned to the blue man.

"The orders have changed and the plan will be revealed soon enough"

And with that they disappeared into the forest.

* * *

**So how was it? And who knows what the plan is?**

**So As I said at the top sasusaku-EienAi cos she's been really sick with the flu a nasty chest infection and asthma** **so** **I had to write and edit this chapter all by myself lol, thank god I had her notes lol. She can bloody write can't she lol.**

**Anyway as of tomorrow sasusaku-EienAi will be working on her own cos I'm leaving to go to America for a uni thing for the next year, I know you all will miss me lol but look after my sis for me kay lol.**

**Next would be sasusaku-EienAi is starting a management job and won't be able to update as quickly as she could before but don't worry she will get there with the next chapter as soon as she's better and out of the hospital lol. It's funny having to sit here next to her and write as she tells me stuff lol I had to read some stories that have been updated the other day for her and I couldn't stop laughing as she coughed lol I'm mean I know. She also says sorry to those that she's reading stories of that have updated and she hasn't reviewed yet...she will get there..eventually lol**

**Now down to fun stuff**

**Thank you to everyone that has reviewed faved and alerted you guys rock big time**

**bittersweetmusicgirl thanks a lot we're glad you are loving it and your welcome;)**

**sunshinestar16 thanks for the review it's great to now you love the story sasusaku-EienAi says she *cough, cough* hopes you keep loving it lol**

**Maria W. Cullen thank you so much, and sorry bout the ending lol but don't worry they all will find each other again lol**

**Animefreaklizzy how was that lol and thank you so much sasusaku-EienAi hopes she keeps it enjoyable for you until the end, and if you liked the sasusaku-ness in chapter 4 you'll love what's to come in later chapters lol**

**Kare Love 4ever we're glad you liked it and hope you liked this one as much**

**Your Hoshi glad you liked it and the idea for them both getting bitten was Christiansrose's idea lol we didn't even think to have both of them bitten at the same time, I can tell you now I would love to have that blood-line as well my sister has a great imagination lol and sasusaku-EienAi hopes that she can be able to update fairly quick with her new position in her job**

**cowgirl137 how'd you like it other than the fact that Oro got away lol and don't worry Oro and Naruto will cross paths again...soon**

**caga2007 thank you very much for the review and if ever you get confused about anything just let sasusaku-EienAi know, she'll explain anything you need to be cleared up on...or try too lol**

**lol Kakashi is cool and yeah...I just have to say thank you so much for giving sis the confidence to put this story up I thank you very much..I'm not going to cry (wipes eyes with tissue) all I can say is thank you and hopefully I have internet where I'm going and can highjack sis's account and have a chat lol**

**Christiansrose lol you had my sister laughing at your review she was like everyone loves me, but yeah I have to agree with you I don't deserve stuff thrown at me unless it's chocolate and into my mouth lol and your very welcome, it was an added twist to the story that we didn't think of and hopefully these fight scenes were okay too considering they were fighting stronger people lol**

**WhatChuuKnowBoutMe How was that lol they got her before she went to Oro but what are they going to do with her now? And I know she is a kick-ass kunoichi lol got to love that it was actually my fav part where she attacked Kakashi as well and you're going to love the next chapter, from what I've seen of sasusaku-EienAi's notes Sakura is only going to get more bad-ass lol**

**Anyway I hope you guys liked this chapter I'm not as good as my sister with the writing and editing but I hope I did okay enough for you. I have to say that it was a pleasure to go this far with you guys and I'm going to miss you all very much...hugs all around lol.**

**As always if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask and it will be answered. It helps make If Not For You better**

**So for the first and last time this is Haruai signing off lol see you all when I get back**

**Thank you for taking the time to read. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi guys I'm back, sorry for not being able to update as quickly as usual. I was having a lot of trouble writing this chapter after getting out of the hospital, guess I'm missing Haruai too much lol. Anyway I'll let you read the new chapter that you guys have been waiting forever for lol. **

**Oh and I was reading the other chapters and I saw a stuff up, I made them 13 when they were genin instead of 12 so they are a year older for everything and in this chapter they are all 20 except Tenten and Neji they're 21. Okay so on with the story I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: What would I do if I owned Naruto (taps fingers together and thinks evilly) that would work mwhahaha **

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"_You were too weak to save them" a voice whispered "You were too weak to save her" a lone figure came into view shadowed by the darkness. I was about to order them to show themselves when emerald green eyes shot out of the darkness "You left me to die" the figure stepped out of the shadows to reveal a thirteen year old Sakura._

_My eyes widened at the condition she was in, she was as pale as death and there was blood trickling from her mouth down her chin. Her chest had been slashed open and the wound was oozing blood "Sa..Sakura" I managed to stutter as the girl looked at me with emotionless dead eyes "You let me die" she said taking a step closer to me and raising her hand and pointing at me._

"_You let me DIE!" she screamed and she rushed me, her eyes wide with anger. I closed my eyes and waited for the attack but it didn't come. "Sasuke?" I hesitantly opened an eye to see Sakura standing there very much alive and unhurt looking at me with a raised eyebrow "What are you doing?" she asked tilting her head with a confused yet amused look._

_At this point I was a little confused "You were dead" I stated dumbly, there was a moment of silence as Sakura stared at me before a glare appeared on her face "Gee thanks I know I look like crap but you don't have to rub it in" she growled "Next time I'll make sure to look pretty for you after training" I could almost feel the sarcasm hitting me in the face before she started to walk away._

_I watched her for a moment trying to figure out what was happening when she stopped and turned to me "Are you coming or are you going to stand there like an idiot and miss the one chance of Naruto paying for your food?" Okay so this must be a dream, Naruto pay for food...yeah right._

"_Why is Naruto paying?" I asked and the answer I got was Sakura laughing at me I could feel the annoyance building in me as she collected herself "Do you not remember that you bet that if you could beat his ass at training he had to buy lunch today...Sasuke where has your head been today?"_

_I huffed at her amusement...Uchiha's do act like children when they want. "Fine" and I started walking, but I couldn't help looking at Sakura every now and then. Was I daydreaming when I saw her like that...it had to be, she was just a step behind me and safe, but I couldn't help the feeling inside me telling me otherwise._

"_SASUKE!"_

_I turned as fast as I could almost giving myself whiplash to the scream, Sakura was being held by a cloaked figure. My heart was trying to break out of my chest. Sakura looked at me with wide tear filled scared eyes "S..Sasuke help me" she pleaded but I was frozen in place as those oh so very familiar eyes of that bastard were revealed "I'm sorry but my foolish little brother doesn't have enough hatred towards me to help you" Itachi said as he looked at me with emotionless eyes._

_Why wouldn't my body move? I wanted to save Sakura and kill the bastard. "You are still too weak to defeat me little brother" Itachi said as if he were talking to a 5 year old, I could feel my anger boiling over and my sharingan activated "You are not my fucking brother you asshole!" I screamed Itachi just laughed and continued to speak as if I hadn't spoken at all._

"_They are still waiting for you to avenge them" As soon as he said that more figures began to come towards us, my gut told me who they were before I even saw their faces. It was the clan, mother and father were standing beside Itachi staring at me. There was nothing I could do but stand there._

"_And she will be joining them" my eyes left my mother and shot to Itachi. "SASUKE HELP ME...SA!" Sakura was cut off from her plea when a katana was plunged into her chest and through her heart "Forget your bonds and hate me...that is the only way you will become stronger and avenge them" Itachi said as he dropped the girl to the ground and began disappearing._

"_YOU FUCKING BASTARD I'LL KILL YOU!" I screamed as loud as I could, "Sa.." My infuriated sharingan eyes turned to the girl on the ground, her hand moved a little. She was still alive but I couldn't move "Sakura" her hand raised a little then dropped "Sakura" I said a little louder but there was no movement._

"_SAKURA!"_

"_SASUKE!"_

* * *

"Sasuke wake up will ya" A voice said while shaking the life out of Sasuke "Dude come on Karin is pissing me off with her ogling" he now knew who the person was that he was going to kill, "I am not ogling you idiot" she sounded pissed. Sasuke sat up and held his hands to his head as pictures of a pink haired ex-team-mate flashed through his head.

"Sasuke do you have a headache...I'll make it all better for you" and with that Karin was attached to his arm, she was his team-mate from the northern hide-out that was more of a prison where Orochimaru kept his test subject. Sasuke had asked her to join him after he beat the snake within an inch of his life three years ago, but only for her tracking ability and nothing more which she didn't understand.

"Karin get off me" he growled, his eyes still closed. It only took a glare-sharingan or not- or a threatening voice to get them to leave him alone but it never stopped them from coming back again to either smother him or just plain annoy.

"So who were you dreaming about?"

Suigetsu slung his arm around Sasuke's shoulder as he smirked at the Uchiha, Sasuke glared at the man with pale blue almost white shoulder length hair and purple eyes and sharp shark like teeth making him look scary to some people. Sasuke just thought he was a freak, he had been the first to join Sasuke after Orochimaru's downfall. He was able to turn his body into water when attacked making him a very formidable opponent, along with the sword that once belonged to Zabuza Momochi.

"He wasn't dreaming about anyone!" Karin yelled at Suigetsu, her magenta coloured eyes looked like they were about to combust with the fire in them as she glared at Suigetsu who laughed "Well tell me Karin whose name was he saying?" Sasuke looked at him with hidden wide eyes "He wasn't calling a name...h..he was dreaming about a...a tree" there was a moment of silence before Suigetsu doubled over in laughter.

"Haha a...a tree haha g..good one Karin"

Karin screamed and stomped her foot before giving Suigetsu a kick to the head, lucky for Sasuke he saw it coming and moved his head, but he wasn't lucky enough to get out of the road when Suigetsu's head exploded into water drenching him. "Hey that hurt you know!" he yelled as Karin walked off in a huff...very pissed.

"You better take your coat now...I ain't gunna thaw you out after we find you frozen stiff!" Suigetsu yelled as she walked out of the cave they were staying in. They were in snow country following rumours that Akatsuki had business in the land of snow, and it just so happened that the princess Koyuki was unable to completely get rid of the snow.

Sasuke got up and made a move to exit the cave and go into the white forest to clear his thoughts when an arm was once again stung around his shoulder "So" Sasuke glared at the forest ahead of him "Who is Sakura" he could see the trees burning now "Was she an old girlfriend...is she hot?" Sasuke's glare turned to sharingan and he looked at Suigetsu "Don't" was all he said shrugging off Suigetsu's arm and walking into the forest, leaving a very confused Suigetsu behind.

"Someone got off the wrong side of the ground"

Sasuke was glad that he was left alone, and for a few hours he trained and destroyed a large portion of the forest and turning the ground that was once white to black charred earth with his chidori and chokuto sword, he felt sorry for the forest but he needed to get the girl out of his head. But the memory of seven years ago when she was taken wouldn't leave his thoughts, ever since she had been taken he dreamt about her death along with his clan's murder. It was different every time but the outcome was the same, she would be killed before his eyes and he couldn't do a damned thing to stop it.

Sasuke looked around him at the damage he'd done and found a lone cherry blossom tree in the middle of the burnt field, he walked over to it and placed his hand on the trunk and looked up at the pink flowers that were falling like snow down around him. Again pictures of the pinkette flashed through his mind, he clenched his fists and was about to punch the tree but something stopped him from doing so.

He sighed and opened his hand up again and replaced it on the bark "I'm sorry" he whispered. That was the one and only time he would allow the emotions and weakness to overcome him, he took his hand away from the trunk and it began to spark blue as his famed chidori formed. "Get out and stay out of my head" he growled before his hand found itself shoved through the tree and the tree exploding as his chidori coursed through it.

he closed his eyes for a moment and relished in the fact that she was no longer in his head, when he opened his eyes a gasp left him mouth and his heart quickened for a moment before slowing down again. There standing not a foot away from him was a young woman with long pastel pink hair blowing in the breeze and sorrowful emerald green eyes, she wore a long elegant red dress that swayed with the breeze as she hugged herself closely.

Sasuke took a step back not taking his eyes off the beautiful woman before him, her eyes started to water as she locked eyes with him but no tears fell. Sasuke felt a strong urge to gather the woman up and never let anything hurt her, but he tried to push that feeling back as they continued to silently lock eyes with each other.

The woman broke eye contact first as she brought her hands up to her chest and looked at the destroyed cherry blossom tree before looking back at Sasuke as a single tear slid down her porcelain cheek. The sorrow in her eyes was then joined by disappointment as she turned to leave, the wind picked up and the blossoms swirled around the woman as she walked away.

Sasuke reached out his hand and stepped forward not wanting her to go "Wait!" the woman stopped and half turned to face him, the only emotion that marred her face was disappointment as she shook her head. The petals swirled around her faster before fully enveloping the woman, Sasuke's heart sped up "Wait!" he called again "Don't go!" but as the petals fell away and were carried in the wind there was nothing left of the woman not even a sign that she had been there in the first place.

After a few more moments of staring at the spot where the woman had just been Sasuke retrieved his cloak and black shirt before putting them back on and returned to the camp to find Suigetsu and Karin at it again and the third member Juugo back from where ever he went. Juugo was a gentle giant with orange spiky hair and deep orange almost red eyes, that had the ability to communicate with animals. But within him was a dangerous bloodthirsty monster that was only controlled by killing or Sasuke's sharingan.

The origins of the cursed seal came from enzymes in his body and Orochimaru was happy to take Juugo in when he showed up on the bastard's door asking for help to control his bloodlust.

They packed up and left the camp, Sasuke and Juugo in the front with Karin and Suigetsu bringing up the rear fighting as usual.

* * *

**A few miles away**

"We found him_" _was heard over the radio as an ANBU raced through the trees on top of a large white dog following a scent that had been picked up and lost for the past five days _"How far away?" _came another voice through the radio "About 2 clicks to the left of my position" the ANBU stated _"Okay everyone regroup"_ came the assertive voice of the captain and a "Roger" from the others before the snow covered forest became quiet again as the ANBU dismounted from his dog. "We're goin to get him this time hey boy" he said patting the dog who barked his agreement.

A few minutes later six other ANBU were standing in front of the first ANBU, "How fast are they moving?" the ANBU with an owl design on his mask with dark brown hair tied in a short spiky pony-tail asked "Not very fast...two of them are lagging behind a little" the first one said who had a wolf design and scruffy brown hair hanging everywhere.

There was a male with a hawk design and long brown hair that was tied in a low pony-tail, standing next to a female with a tiger design with deep chocolate brown hair that was in two high braids at the sides of her head and joined at the base of her neck forming one single braid that reached mid back.

Beside them stood another female with a cat design and long platinum blonde hair in a braid with her hand on her hip and almost impatiently tapping her foot. Standing beside the owl ANBU was a male with sun-kissed blonde spiky hair that reached his neck and bangs that reached his jaw-line covering the fox mask. Standing closely beside the Fox was a female with long midnight blue hair in a braid and an eagle mask.

All seven of them were in heavy white cloaks, the majority of them had the standard ANBU attire under the cloak. All except for the blonde male who had long white pants that were tucked into black closed in ninja boots, a long sleeved black shirt that of course had orange pockets on them. But the most cherished item he had was a coat that was orange with black flames that were at the bottom of its sleeves and at the bottom of the coat, it was given to him on his 18th birthday from Jiraiya and Tsunade who were given it by his father.

Naruto had found out by the two sannin that his father was the fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze who he got his looks from and his mother Kushina Uzumaki a beautiful woman from whirlpool country who had long red hair and beautiful bright blue eyes who he got his personality from. At first Naruto was shocked and angry that no-one had told him about his parents but then he couldn't help but feel so prideful of what they had done to save the village from the beast that now resided in him.

"Come on Shika can we get this over soon so we can go home" whined the cat ANBU, the one with the owl mask sighed as his cover was blown, he pulled up his mask and glared at the female "Ino you aren't supposed to use our names" the girl huffed and pulled her mask off to reveal angry annoyed blue eyes "Well you just gave mine away you idiot!" she screeched.

"Lucky for the both of you there is no-one other than the target around for miles" the hawk stated as he took his mask off to reveal an annoyed Neji, the others followed suit and pulled their masks off. The others were Tenten, Hinata, Kiba and a snickering Naruto. Naruto leaned into Hinata and whispered something to her which caused the girl to giggle. Sadly for him Ino heard him and he soon found himself flat out in the snow nursing a sore jaw with Hinata worrying beside him.

"I'm sorry my hormones are running wild!" Ino snapped at them "You try giving birth and see how your hormones are" she glared at Naruto before her glare moved to Shikamaru who held his hands up in defence "What did I do now?" he asked, Ino growled and her glare intensified "You and your devil sperm are why I'm like this!" she almost yelled before stomping off.

"Maybe it wasn't a good idea to have a hormonal mother on this mission" Neji stated before he turned to Tenten who shook her head "I don't think so buddy" she crossed her arms over her chest and glared, Neji sighed and mumbled something along the lines of "Infuriating women"

Shikamaru started walking in the direction of Ino "I'll get her, she's my wife as troublesome as she is" and he disappeared into the forest. Naruto snickered "It was nice knowing him" Tenten and Kiba joined in while Hinata worriedly looked in the direction of a screech and Neji leaned on a tree keeping an eye on the target with his byakugan, a smirk marring his face as a "What a drag" was heard from the couple's direction.

A few moments later Shikamaru and a smiling Ino came back into the clearing, Kiba couldn't help the remark "Ewww you did the dirty" that was the end of the smile as Ino walked over to the dog boy and punched him in the face "You idiot I just had a baby two weeks ago...you are such a pervert" the smile was replaced as she watched the boy quiver from her punch.

"Okay settle down, we still have to finish this mission" Shikamaru said gaining everyone's attention, they all made a circle "We have to detain the target as quickly as possible...remember there are others with him and we have no idea of what their capabilities are...got it?" there was nods all around. Shikamaru was about to talk again when Neji swore, they all turned to him "He's been joined by another four and are engaging in battle"

That got everyone into action "Remember what we have to do and be safe" Shikamaru said as he looked Ino in the eye giving her a silent message which she got and gave him a nod, their masks were back on and nothing was left but the ruffle of leaves from their movements not a second after Shikamaru had spoken.

As they got closer to the target there could be sounds of fighting and grunts of pain, Naruto stopped dead in his tracks when a familiar sound that he had last heard four years ago resounded around the forest, the others stopped and looked at the blonde with hidden confused expressions.

Hinata was the first to approach the blonde and placed a hand on his shoulder, when she did she could feel the tension and his body shaking. This worried the woman greatly "Naruto...what's wrong?" she asked as the others gathered around him. For a moment he didn't speak but when he spoke it was so quiet that they missed it "What?" Tenten asked.

Naruto didn't stay to answer for he was now running, he looked back at the others with a determined look "I'm not letting him go this time" and with that he was gone. The others looked at each other for a moment Shikamaru was the first to speak "Not let who g...oh shit" the others got more confused before it also clicked and they were after him "Naruto get your ass back here!" Shikamaru yelled "What an idiot to go into the fight on his own" Ino said as she bounded alongside Shikamaru.

**~O~**

As soon as he heard that noise he knew who it was that was waiting for them _'I won't let you get away this time'_ he couldn't let him get away again not after so long of trying to find him and bring him home where he belonged "I will bring you home...Sasuke"

**~O~**

"Sasuke!" Karin called from the back of the group, Sasuke looked over his shoulder but didn't stop "What?" Karin made a move to get closer before she spoke "There is three charkas in front of us, and they're heading straight for us"

All four stopped, and Suigetsu once again slung his arm around Sasuke's shoulder "We haven't had a fight for weeks" Sasuke glared at the shark-boy "Aw come on Sasuke I promise I won't kill them...much, pleeeeaaassse" Sasuke shrugged out of his grip "Hn"

"Oh yeah thanks man" Suigetsu was almost bouncing around like a kid in a candy store as he latched onto the hilt of his cleaver and took off towards the three chakra's. Juugo trailed behind him leaving Sasuke and Karin alone "Hey Sasuke" she said as she came up beside him "We don't need to follow them...let's keep going and leave them behind" she made a move to latch onto his arm but Sasuke moved away from her and began walking in the direction of the other two.

"Fine...I guess they can stay with us!" Karin called as she ran to catch up to the others.

Team Hebi came to a small open field when the three people Karin had sensed came into view, one was a tall round forty-something year old man with rich red velvet clothing and jewellery hanging everywhere. The other two were ninja with their faces hidden behind masks, the slightly taller one had black hair and dark green eyes. The shorter had blonde hair and blue eyes, they both wore the same white clothing almost concealing them in the white snow and no head-band was seen on their person.

They faltered when team Hebi came into view, "State your name and purpose" the blonde ninja said in a gruff voice as he and the other stood in front of their large friend who pulled out a chocolate bar and started eating it as if there was nothing to worry about.

Suigetsu smirked as he tightened his hold on his cleaver "We are..." he was cut off when Sasuke stepped forward "None of your business" as soon as Sasuke spoke the fat man's head shot up and a smile was plastered on his face "Ah I know that voice...an Uchiha?" he pushed past the two ninja to get a look at Sasuke.

When he saw him the smile dropped slightly "I was hoping for the other one but you will have to do" team Hebi looked at each other than to Sasuke. Suigetsu snickered "You're in for it now" he said in a teasing tone as the Uchiha clenched his fists as the fat ass Kept talking "From what I hear Itachi Uchiha is far more skilled than his younger brother and far more valuable, but you my boy are worth a pretty penny and my daughter would _love _to spend some time with you" he said suggestively "Kill the others but the Uchiha needs to live" he ordered.

There was a snicker from beside Sasuke and a sound that was almost a screech from behind him and muffled "I'll kill you and your daughter too" as the two ninja prepared for battle "Juugo, Suigetsu he's mine take the other's Karin stay back and keep lookout" Sasuke growled out as he unsheathed his kusanagi, his tone left no room for argument as Juugo, Suigetsu and the two ninja charged at each other.

Sasuke stepped slowly towards the man who was backed up against a tree, he had no reason to hurry and cause the man's downfall any quicker. He stopped and waited as the dark haired ninja went flying past him thanks to a half transformed Juugo before he continued on his path. He walked past Suigetsu and the blonde ninja, he would have laughed at the look on the ninja's face when he tried to punch Suigetsu in the stomach but his hand went straight through and Suigetsu was snickering as he said "Ow that hurt" in a fake hurt tone, but Uchiha's don't laugh.

Juugo and Suigetsu were really only playing with the two men as they weren't dead yet.

Sasuke reached the man "Pl..please don't k..kill me I'll give you m..money" he was a blubbering fool, as his hands shook as they reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of money and a...candy bar. He looked at the candy bar than as Sasuke's scowling face than back to the bar with a nervous laugh before offering it to Sasuke.

Sasuke glared his famous death glare at the pudgy man before knocking the food and money from his hand and within seconds the man found himself slammed against a tree with his feet dangling and struggling to breath from the hand that was blocking his air-way "You can give me your death" Sasuke said in a malicious tone as he brought his kusanagi up with the sound of chirping birds.

"Sasuke!" Karin called but he didn't take his eyes off the crying poor excuse of a man whose eyes widened as Sasuke activated his sharingan and pulled his katana back to lash out at the man.

"SASUKE! DON'T!"

'_That voice...oh fuck no' _Sasuke looked over his shoulder and saw a yellow blur exit the forest, and standing a few feet away from him was a Konoha ANBU with blonde spiky hair, Sasuke raised an eye-brow at the ninja _'You have got to be kidding me'_ ran through his mind as he looked at the man. Not even a minute after he had landed another six ANBU leapt out of the forest landing in defensive stances around the group, two next to the blonde.

"Why should I...Naruto?" Sasuke asked tightening his grip around the man's throat, Naruto stepped forward and took his mask off "Because...if you kill him I'll never find Sakura" Sasuke's eyes widened at the mention of her name.

"I knew it, he was dreamin about a girl" Suigetsu snickered, Karin glared at him before she punched him and started walking in the direction of Sasuke and the blonde ninja before a kunai landed at her feet. She looked up to find an ANBU with chocolate brown hair in braids in front of her "I don't think so" the ninja said as she pulled out a battle axe and twirled it around as if it were a toy.

Sasuke's grip on the man loosened a little as he stared at the tree he held the man too _'he killed her...she can't be alive'_ His grip tightened on the man's throat again "What makes you think I care whether you find _her_ or not?" he could feel Naruto move closer to him.

"Please Sasuke, he is our only chance to get her back...please" Naruto whispered hoping Sasuke wasn't the monster the rumours said he was. It seemed to work as Sasuke let go of the man and stepped away from him, his back turned away from the one person who he considered family once.

"Even if she is still alive...what makes you think she will go back with you?" Sasuke asked not even bothering to look at the blonde. There was silence for a moment before Naruto spoke "She will come home because that is where she belongs...where you both belong"

Naruto didn't see the scowl on Sasuke's face at that as he continued to speak "I know you both will be accepted back into the village...no matter what either of you have done" Naruto made a move to step towards Sasuke when the Uchiha spoke stopping him in his tracks "I will never return to that pathetic village as long as Itachi lives and even with his death it would be very unlikely of my return...and if she _is_ still alive Sakura would be smart enough to not return either"

As Sasuke's back was turned he didn't see the hand signs one of the ANBU was doing until Karin tried to warn him but found herself on the ground in pain, and Sasuke caught in the trap "Sasuke Uchiha, by the order of the Hokage you and your team are hereby under arrest and will be taken back to Konoha to await a trial for your crimes" the one with the owl mask said who sounded like a certain lazy ass ninja.

Sasuke glared in the direction he was stuck in and tried to get out of the shadow possession jutsu he was stuck in. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other team-members of Hebi either knocked out or in Karin's case curled up in a ball crying like a baby as a ninja twirling a huge ass axe stood over her.

"You had better kill me now Nara because when I get out of your jutsu you will be first to go" Sasuke growled as he tried to move, he was finally able to get some movement back when Shikamaru yelled to Naruto "Hurry up Naruto...he's getting free!"

The last thing Sasuke heard before his world went black was "I'm sorry teme but I can't let you get away this time."

**~O~**

Naruto felt like a traitor to his friend for knocking him out, but he had to do it to keep Sasuke from getting away from him. All of Sasuke's team were fitted with chakra absorbing cuffs that gave them enough power of a civilian, and each of the males were tied to a tree when camp was set up, the red head who was known as Karin was under Tenten's charge as she was scared shitless of the weapons mistress.

He sat by the fire and watched the dark haired male who was scowling at anything and everything that came near him, Naruto was so happy to have the second member of team seven back with him again when they first caught Sasuke in Shikamaru's trap, but after the dark haired male woke up was another story all together.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

_Naruto heard a groan and was in front of Sasuke in an instant "Good you're awake" he said a little too happy and loud for the Uchiha's taste "Could you talk any louder?" he growled and opened his eyes again to glare at the blonde with his sharingan but found he couldn't "Sorry teme we had to take your chakra away from you" Naruto said with a bright smile on his face._

_Sasuke glared some more "You What!" Naruto fell on his butt at the ferocity of Sasuke's voice and looked at him with worried eyes "W..we couldn't let you...I couldn't let you go again teme" Naruto said in a pleading tone "Not after so long of finding you and losing you again and again and again...I just couldn't this time" it felt like Naruto was begging for Sasuke to understand at the way he spoke._

"_I don't want to go back you fucking idiot!" Sasuke roared earning the attention of everyone in the camp, Sasuke struggled to get free but the rope was too strong and he was too weak without his chakra, his glare intensified and a flicker of red passed through his eyes before disappearing "I will kill you!" he growled struggling more. Naruto had the look of an abandoned puppy as he watched Sasuke struggle to get free and likely try to strangle him "But teme..." he was cut off "Just get the fuck away from me!"_

_Naruto felt tears welling up in his eyes as he did as the Uchiha asked and moved away from him, no-one dared say a word as the blonde re-joined the camp with Hinata wrapping her arms around him and comforting him. It was silent for an hour before Shikamaru spoke "We will get the information about Sakura Haruno from Itsuki Ieyasu tomorrow and send the information on what we find and the capture of team Hebi before we head out again" There was nods from all around the fire before they fell silent again. _

_Naruto made a move to get up "I'll take first watch" he said and moved away before jumping into the tree's to take first watch, the others watched as he went. "Is he going to be okay?" Tenten asked as she leaned into Neji thankful that she didn't have to go through what Naruto was going through at this very moment "He'll be fine" Shikamaru said as he stood and held out a hand to Ino "He just needs some time to get around everything" he said as he started to walk away "Everyone get some rest Neji take over watch after Naruto, I'll go after you" the Hyuuga nodded his head before he and Tenten made their way towards their bed rolls and settling in for the night leaving Hinata at the fire looking in Naruto's direction "I hope your right Shikamaru"_

**FLASHBACK END**

* * *

Hinata had been so worried about him that night and even sat up with him, Naruto was glad that he had asked her out on a date when they were 17. She was the light of his life and soon she would be his wife and all he needed was Sasuke and Sakura back home where they belonged, then his life will be complete.

It took 3 days for Ino to interrogate Itsuki and get the information that they needed, everyone was up and sitting back at the fire waiting to be told what was found out and where their main target was. "So what did you find out?" Tenten asked looking at Ino and Shikamaru, "Itsuki said that he gave information to Sakura about her cousin a week ago and sent her to a village called Manjidani, it's a day's travel east of us" Shikamaru said but the look on his face told the other's that he had more to tell them.

"What else did you find out?" Neji said looking at the genius who was eyeing a scowling Sasuke off, a sigh later Shikamaru explained "The fat ass failed to mention to Sakura that he was sending her into a trap with bounty hunters and that most of the Akatsuki including one Itachi Uchiha are also in snow and the fucker sent her straight to them"

The camp fell silent, eyes plastered on Naruto as he clenched his fists causing them to turn white. A dark killer aura fluctuated around Naruto which gained the attention of everyone including team Hebi who were now curious of the events unfolding. Naruto stood from his spot without a word "Naruto you may have gained control over the kyuubi...but calm down before you do something you'll regret" Shikamaru said as he, Neji, Tenten, and Hinata stood.

Naruto ignored the deer herder and turned to Itsuki Ieyasu and started walking towards him "I'll kill that BASTARD!" he yelled as he ran towards the quivering man with a rasengan forming in his hand, he was stopped an inch from driving his jutsu through the man when Shikamaru caught him in his shadow jutsu "If you don't stop Naruto I'll have no choice but to send you back to Konoha."

Sasuke raised an eye-brow at the spectacle _'Wonder what's gotten the dobe so worked up?'_

Naruto's usually bright blue eyes began to turn red as he glared at the tub of lard "The fuck I won't stop!...this ass-hole sent someone that is like a sister to me into a trap!" he yelled "If it was just the bounty hunters she would have a chance" he said as he closed his eyes. Shikamaru moved Naruto away from Itsuki "Shikamaru she is going to get killed if the Akatsuki get to her before we do"

This got Sasuke's attention.

"Are you in control?" Shikamaru asked Naruto as he forced the blonde to sit at the fire again, Naruto nodded his head before putting it into his hands "She's going to die" he whispered before tears were seen falling down his arms "Oh Naruto" Hinata whispered as she wrapped her arms around the man who turned to her and wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head into her neck. "Shhh...it will be okay, we'll get to her before anything happens to her" Hinata said as she raked her hands through his hair.

"I don't know if we can" Shikamaru said as he watched the pair, both of their heads shot up to look at him "W..what do you mean?" Naruto asked a glare forming on his face. Shikamaru sighed and crouched down before the pair "Look, we are a day's travel from that village and Sakura is probably there already depending on where the fat ass gave her the information.." he was cut off by Itsuki "She was in Sound!" he called hoping to right the wrong he did and keep his life.

There was glares shot at the man before Shikamaru spoke again "Okay so she has a few days to catch up but she will still get there before us" confusion was on the group's faces "With the new information about the Akatsuki...not just one or two but all 10 plus the 3 new recruits. We are outnumbered and before we do anything we have to return to Konoha with the prisoners and get back-up if lady Tsunade agrees to a mission in the first place...don't look at me like that Naruto, that's the way things go...I'm sorry"

Naruto glared at the lazy genius before taking a step in the direction of the village where his team-mate would be in a few days, he was stopped in mid-step "Naruto I will bind you if I have to" Shikamaru warned. If he could Naruto would have glared at the dark haired captain, "I can't just let her go there and be killed Shikamaru...she is my team-ma..." he was cut off "Was Naruto, she was your team-mate." Shikamaru chided "She stopped being your team-mate and a ninja of Konohagakure the day she decided to kill those leaf ninja and almost kill Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane!"

There was a tense moment before Shikamaru closed his eyes and breathed a calming breath before he spoke again "Naruto I'm sorry" he said calmly "But just like Sasuke, Sakura is an S-ranked missing nin that will atone for her crimes and if we can get the Hokage to allow us to come back...I hope we find her alive" don't get him wrong Shikamaru did not want anything to happen to the pink haired woman, the same went for the others. But one of the ninja she killed was one of his friends, so it was only fair that he held a slight resentment towards the pinkette.

After that the group started heading back in the direction of Konoha with the five prisoners in toe, two of them being gagged along the way as they wouldn't shut up.

Naruto walked behind Sasuke who hadn't spoken a word to anyone after he woke up, he couldn't help but remember the first time he had found him when they were 16.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

_Naruto had a permanent scowl on his face as he trudged behind the three other members of his new team, Kakashi was in the hospital after battling Akatsuki, so his replacement was a freaky man named Yamato who he knew the old bag sent to freak the hell out of him. His actual team-mates replacements were that girl Sushi...Moshi...Yoshi...Hoshi yeah Hoshi who was a motor mouth and never shuts up 'She might be strong but she's got nothing on Sakura' Naruto thought as he watched the dark haired girl talk Yamato's ear off._

_He looked at the other kid who was just plain weird, he had short black hair and eyes as black as his REAL team-mate he was just as pale too, Hoshi squealed when she first saw him and said "He looks just like my Sasuke...hey sweetie do you want to hook up after this lousy mission?" Naruto had gaged when she tried to shove her non-existent cleavage into the boy known as Sai's face._

_He snickered when Sai just walked past her with a "No thank you I'm not gay" but that snicker abruptly stopped when "You should try dickless here" Naruto would have pulverised him then and there if it hadn't been for Yamato and his freaky look._

_Sai was socially retarded and as emotionless as a rock, the only thing he did know was what was written in books which freaked Naruto out even more than the attire the boy wore which was a collared zip up black shirt that had one sleeve ending just above his left elbow and the other ending at his wrist where his black fingerless gloves were found and it ended just below his chest and a pair of black standard ninja pants hung from his hips enabling _EVERYONE _to see his snow white midriff that just screamed 'What is the meaning of the sun?' _

_They were on their way to grass country and the Tenchi bridge where information was given to them about a spy in Orochimaru's ranks that was to meet with Sasori of the red sand, one of the former Akatsuki who was taken down by team Kurenai with the help of Chiyo Sasori's grandmother who gave her life to revive Gaara who had his Jinchuuriki taken from him by Akatsuki._

_When they arrived at the bridge, they set a trap for the spy and Yamato transformed into the puppet master. The spy showed up and was revealed to be Kabuto Orochimaru's shadow, before they could do anything the snake himself showed up._

"_Ah the kyuubi vessel...but where is your little pink haired friend?" This simple statement sparked the power of the kyuubi within Naruto and all hell broke loose. Naruto transformed into the four-tailed form of the kyuubi and had literally pounded the snake down, but unfortunately Orochimaru didn't know when to die._

_It took a lot of Yamato's power to hold the kyuubi back and get the old Naruto back, in which time Orochimaru and Kabuto got away taking Sai with them._

_They were able to track Sai to the compound and retrieved the boy who had a change of heart about double crossing them after Naruto explained the bond he had with Sasuke and Sakura, which brought them to standing in a crater made by Sasuke who was standing at the mouth of the opening._

"_Sasuke Uchiha, I was sent to eliminate you as a threat to Konohagakure!" Sai called as he looked up at the Uchiha. Everyone else was staring at him with wide eyes, Sasuke looked down at the look-alike with bored emotionless eyes "But I want to protect the bond that Naruto speaks of between you two"_

"_Hn, I don't have a bond with him to salvage anymore" Sasuke said as he looked down upon them with and emotionless façade "I have a new bond...a bond between my brother and I" Naruto looked up at his old team-mate and best friend with hurt eyes "That bond is the bond of hate"_

"_If...if that's true" Naruto said as he clenched his fists while glaring at the ground "Why didn't you kill me...why the hell didn't you just kill me and be done with it!" he yelled up to the dark haired boy. Sasuke smirked at the blonde._

"_Don't worry it's not that I couldn't kill you, I just didn't want to do as he said" the smirk disappeared "I left you alive on a whim" the instant those words left his mouth, Sasuke was down beside Naruto facing the back with his arm around the front of Naruto and hanging over his shoulder._

_Naruto glared at the wall of rock in front of him not moving an inch while the other three took a step back. "Wasn't your dream to become Hokage...Naruto?" there was a slight teasing tone to Sasuke's voice as he said that "Maybe you should have concentrated on that rather than chase me for the last two years...don't you think?"_

_Naruto closed his eyes and his head hung low "What's the point in becoming Hokage if I can't even save one of my friends?" he whispered but Sasuke was able to hear it._

"_Oh Sasuke you are so strong and hot and..."_

_Hoshi was tuned out as Sasuke rested his hand on his kusanagi "I may have let you live on a whim" he said as he slowly unsheathed the katana, Naruto knew what he was doing but he stayed his ground. "But...I think I might kill you...on a whim" in a flash the katana was completely unsheathed and Naruto closed his eyes and waited for the metal to pierce through him, but it never came._

"_That was the right way to block the kusanagi" Sasuke said looking at Sai who had a hold of his arm._

"_Sai! Don't you dare touch Sasuke!"_

_All three males looked to where the yell came from, Hoshi had her hands in hand signs ready to use on the dark haired boy. "I'm sorry Mr Nankobo but I can't do that" Hoshi growled "I am NOT a boy!" she finished her hand signs and a green glow appeared around her hand "Are you impressed my love, I became a medical ninja"_

_Sasuke just looked at her with a raised eye-brow as Naruto whispered "Not a very good one" there was silence for a moment before the four men staring at her regained their composure. Sasuke grabbed a hold of Naruto's shoulder as his body was enveloped in lightning, Naruto and Sai both were consumed by the lightning as well. But unlike Sasuke they were both electrocuted._

_Sai and Naruto were flung backwards, almost hitting an awestruck Hoshi. It was then Yamato's turn to try and stop the boy "You are a very powerful ninja...I'll give you that credit" he said as he stepped forward while doing hand signs. Sasuke's now sharingan eyes narrowed at the man as he readied his kusanagi "But you will be brought back to Konoha, and unfortunate for Naruto...it will be by any means necessary"_

_Several wood pillars shot out of the ground and straight towards Sasuke who jumped backwards, both men ignoring the shouts and screams from Hoshi as one evaded and the other attacked. Yamato ran at Sasuke with his version of a katana attached to his arm made out of wood as Sasuke did the same with his._

"_Sasuke!"_

_Both ninja stopped in their tracks at the voice._

"_That is enough, we have other things to do" at the mouth of the new crater was none other than Orochimaru in all his eerie glory with a hand on his hip and smiling down at the group "Come" Sasuke glared at him for a moment before looking towards Yamato "Tell me one reason why I should stop" he almost snarled._

_Orochimaru chuckled "My dear boy if they are allowed to live than they will be able to kill more Akatsuki members" Orochimaru said in a calm teasing tone "And if they do that than there are less obstacles in the way of your revenge"_

"_Fine...your lucky you are still useful" Sasuke said as he glared at the leaf ninja, Naruto and Sai were struggling to stand up as he turned and was about to join the snake._

"_W..wait"_

_Everyone looked to the blonde as he swayed and held his left arm "T..tell me, where is...she?" Naruto's piercing blue eyes locked with obsidian eyes, a smirk appeared on Sasuke's face "She's dead" Naruto had shock written all over his face as those two word's circled around his head "N..no...how" his shocked cerulean eyes turned to a deep scarlet red as he glared at Sasuke, his lips pulled back into a snarl as his canine's protruded from his mouth and the whiskers on each side of his face became more pronounced and thicker as a red glow engulfed his body._

"_YOU BASTRAD! YOU KILLED HER...I"LL KILL YOU!" Naruto screamed._

"_Not again" Yamato said as he made hand signs and rushed at Naruto, hitting him with the palm of his hand and sucked the kyuubi power back into the boy. Sasuke was mildly interested in what he was seeing as the red glow disappeared from view._

_There was a moment of silence before Sasuke spoke "I never touched her...if you want someone to blame for her death, than blame him for taking her the night I left...not me" and with that he jumped up to join Orochimaru who smiled at the ninja below as he spoke "Oh and thank my old team-mate Tsunade for our newest member"_

_Kabuto appeared with Hoshi next to Orochimaru, she moved and latched onto Sasuke's arm as they disappeared into flames leaving the three males to stare, glare or just plain look at the spot where the four just were._

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

That was the last time any of them saw Hoshi alive again, they had found her body two weeks after she was taken. The only way they were able to tell who the mangled half eaten body belonged to was the tattoo of a dark haired warrior that looked like a certain Uchiha that was found on her chest just above her breast.

They had been travelling for a few hours in relative silence with a muffled noise from Suigetsu or Karin here and there, but a glare from Neji shut Suigetsu up and a twirl of a weapon from Tenten shut Karin up. The rope that held Karin to Tenten tightened and the weapons mistress looked behind her to see a wide eyed Karin looking ahead of her and trying to turn and run if not for the rope.

"Mabuchi!"

The muffled word caught everyone's attention and they all looked at the red head "What?" Tenten asked "Mabuchi!" Karin repeated, they all looked at each other shrugging their shoulders. Karin became frantic as she was able to pull the rope from Tenten's hand "HEY!" the brunette yelled as Karin ran to Sasuke and nudged her head towards him "Mabuchi!"

Sasuke looked at her for a moment, she was trying to tell them something _'Mabuchi what the fuck does mabu...fuck!'_ "If you want to live release us" Sasuke said in a dark voice as he glared in the direction to where Karin was trying to get away from, "You know we can't do that Uchiha" Neji said in a monotone. Sasuke glared at the Hyuuga "Than we will all die" he simply stated as a dark chakra suddenly filled the group.

More chakra signatures were felt coming closer to the group when Naruto swore and ran to Sasuke "CUT THEM LOOSE!" he yelled as he pulled a kunai out and slashed at the restraints, the others stood there for a moment shocked before Shikamaru cut the binds on Juugo and ordered the others to do the same for Suigetsu and Karin.

"Hinata!" Shikamaru called, the girl turned to him "Take Ino, Tenten, Karin the big guy and Kiba and find cover" the four girls and two guys glared or stared at him "But Shika I want to fight...I'm strong enough to hold my own!" Ino half screeched. "Ino I know your strong and before you throw that axe at me Tenten" Shikamaru looked to the weapons mistress as she was about to release the axe aimed at him. "I want you to find cover so they don't know our numbers and that will give us the element of surprise...now go!"

The group was mostly reluctant to go, Karin had already disappeared before the others even moved. Shikamaru stopped Kiba as he and Akamaru went past "Protect them" Kiba looked at the other two males as they watched their lovers leave before looking back at Shikamaru "With my life" was all he said before he too disappeared leaving Shikamaru, Neji, Naruto, Sasuke, and Suigetsu at the front line for the battle to come.

As the chakras got closer Naruto looked at Sasuke who glanced back at him "Are you ready dobe?" Naruto smirked at him "Hope you can keep up with me teme" the Uchiha smirked at the blonde "Hn" was his answer. "Just remember that they are the enemy...not us" Shikamaru said sending a glance to Sasuke as he unsheathed his kusanagi and all five got into fighting stances "I'll try but I can't promise you anything"

There was a yell and sounds of metal clanging with metal not too far ahead of the group as the chakra came closer, the five ninja looked at each other before looking where the sounds were getting closer "What's going on?" Sasuke heard Suigetsu ask. There was rustling in the trees above them, they looked up into the trees but couldn't see a thing as snow started to fall.

There was the sound of weapons clanging and a flash of black a few metres ahead of them in the trees, everyone tensed this was it. A grunt was heard closer to them before the sound of something falling through the branches. they protected their eyes as snow and debris fell from the sky, there was another grunt of pain as a dark figure fell from the canopy after colliding with a branch.

The figure fell a few feet away from the group who had their weapons ready for an attack, the person landed with their back towards the boys so they couldn't see whether it was male or female. The black cloak they were wearing covered their whole body and the hood fell over the head. Naruto made a move to go towards the person when a groan was head and the black lump started to move.

Naruto stepped back next to Sasuke as the figure slowly shakily rose to their feet, with their back still facing them. The person slowly and very unstably turned to face them, they took as step as if not noticing the five men standing there ready to attack "Who are you?" Shikamaru asked.

The figure stopped and tensed before their body started swaying from the wounds as their head lifted, there was gasps from three of the five shinobi as empty emerald green eyes looked back at them and pink mixed with blood hair was revealed as the hood fell from the woman as her eyes began to close and her body started to fall.

Naruto made a move to catch the woman but was too slow as the raven haired Uchiha was there in an instant with her in his arms.

"Sakura?" Sasuke held the woman in his arms as he sat on the snow covered ground as the other four joined him, Naruto falling to his knees next to the pair and pulling off his cloak and placed it on top of the pinkette "Is she okay?" he asked not taking his eyes off her "I don't know" Sasuke whispered.

"We have other pressing matters to attend too at the moment" came Shikamaru's voice, the pair looked at him to find him looking ahead of them with his hand to a button attached to his radio "Kiba we need you...we have her" he said into the radio. Sasuke and Naruto looked in the direction of where he was looking to find a large group of ninja coming out of the forest.

"_What...you found her...how?"_ came over the radio.

"Later...just get your ass out here...Hinata we need your medical help Sakura's pretty hurt"

"_We're on our way_"

In an instant the others were by their side save for Karin who was probably back in sound by now, Naruto stood in front of his team-mates as the ninja came closer, Sasuke handed the unconscious kunoichi over to the Hyuuga heiress "I'll keep her safe" she said as he stood up and held kusanagi in front of him and sent a chidori current through it "Hn" was the Uchiha's answer as Hinata and Ino worked on the girl.

"Give us the wench and we'll let you live" one of the ninja said with a sly smile, Sasuke glared and Naruto growled "If you want her" Naruto said in a malicious tone "Come get her" Sasuke growled in the same tone

"Fine with us"

And the two groups charged at each other, but what neither of them noticed was the chakra that the red head had originally felt was no longer there. Lucky for the owner of that chakra the red head had high tailed it out of there or he would have been spotted and his cover blown. His sharingan eyes looked to the pinkette in the arms of the blonde woman while the dark haired woman worked on her, his eyes than moved to his little brother as he slashed and cut his way through the bounty hunters.

"You have grown little brother" Itachi whispered as he left the area and headed back to where Noki and Kisame were waiting. The two sat in a tree waiting for Itachi when he landed right next to Noki, sharingan locked with tomokugan and the message was sent before they headed off to start the second stage of their plans

Bring down Madara Uchiha and the Akatsuki.

* * *

**Okay so how was it, good, bad, terrible lol.**

**So the plot thickens Noki and Itachi are good guys? **

**The next chapter will mainly be what happened to Sakura in those 7 years before coming into contact with Naruto and Sasuke, and that will explain what Shikamaru said to Naruto about her killing leaf ninja.**

**From there more of Noki, Itachi and Kisame's plan will form along with why they did what they did, bet you can't guess the reason behind it;P**

**Anyway hope it wasn't boring and not too rushed, OOC or disappointing cos to me it didn't come out the way I wanted it to so yeah. Sorry if the part where Sasuke and Hebi meet up with Itsuki and the ninja was silly I just couldn't help writing those parts...want some candy:D**

**The updates will be a little erratic over the rest of the story maybe every two weeks as I can only update when I have time off from my job as it is very hectic at the moment and I have a lot to learn over the next three months hopefully after that it shouldn't take more than a week to update.**

**Okay to the fun stuff lol**

**Akatsuki-no-Sakura I'm happy you're enjoying this story have no fear 'If Not For You' will go until the end**

**ellenloveforever thanks for your review what I have in store for Sakura will be better than if she went with Oro, as they say the heart grows fonder when your apart...I hope lol**

**sunshinestar16 I'm happy to hear you love it ;)**

**bittersweetmusicgirl Thank you and yeah my little sister was too lazy to make her own account lol so she wanted to share mine and me being the good big sister let her lol but there is just me now until Haru gets back from the US. Sorry to confuse you lol.**

**Animelover1991 thank you for the review and I'm very sorry to hear about your sister, I had a really good friend that had anorexia but thank god she wasn't that bad. And as for the writing I would definitely suggest that you start writing again it does help when things get too much for you and your able to disconnect from the real world even for an hour, writing has always helped me especially when my little sister and Haru's twin died a few years ago.**

**Christiansrose lol yep we're true blue Auzzie's there isn't many Australian's on the site...well I haven't met many lol but yeah, I got a phone call from Haru the other night and she misses you too, I'm so happy that you are still loving the story and there is going to be one kick ass fight...okay maybe two next chapter for you**

**Tenchi thanks so much I'm back and ready to go, got to love telling other people what to do lol and here's another...hopefully just as awesome chapter for you^.^**

**And **

**WhatChuuKnowBoutMe the dude that was cooked to over perfection was one of Oro's wittle friend's lol he never got to show his real face did he? I never really thought of giving him a name or face cos his cameo was too short and you'll have to find out what happened to Sakura in the next chapter lol I'm bad mwhahaha, and yeah Sasuke is a fool isn't he but it wouldn't be our Sasuke if he didn't go;P**

**If you have any idea's that you think might help make the story any better just let me know in a message or in the review and I'll see what I can do with it, and same as always if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask and I'll explain it to you.**

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed faved and alerted either me or my story you guys rock and it made my day when I got out of the hospital to see them all waiting for me, big hugs for everyone lol**

**Okay I think I said everything I need to say...wait one more**

**Thank you for taking the time to read:D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys sorry for not updating for like two months but I have some bad news, my computer has died and went to laptop heaven and won't be coming back. I don't have the money to buy a new computer yet, and my parents can't help until next year.**

**So for the moment If Not For You is on Fanfic holidays.**

**Please don't kill me lol, I'll try my hardest to sneak an update on my work computer like I am now but I can't promise I will be able to with the short amount of time I have.**

**Thank you guys for sticking with it and I hope to update for you as soon as I can.**


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